There are several projects on State Highway 1 in and around the Taupō area to improve the state highway network.
SH1 Piarere to Taupō network improvements, SH1 East Taupō Arterial, SH1 Taupō to Hatepe safety improvements, and SH1 Taupō-Desert Road planning work are projects to improve the state highway network in and around the Taupō area.
The Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024 (GPS 2024) has changed how we, NZTA, invests in safety across the state highway network. Safety remains a priority objective in GPS 2024, with safety embedded across all investments.
Our focus is on delivering safe roading infrastructure via the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) and Roads of Regional Significance (RoRS), providing enhanced maintenance and highway resilience as well as increased support for NZ Police enforcement.
This means several state highway safety improvement projects in the Waikato have been reprioritised. These include SH1 Piarere to Taupō network improvements, SH1 East Taupō Arterial and SH1 Taupō to Hatepe safety improvements.
Below is an overview of these projects in and around Taupō.
Work is underway to improve safety and resilience on SH1 between Piarere and Taupō. Work to install flexible median safety barriers and roadside barriers between Maroa Road and Tram Road Is wrapping up and another section nearby south of the Waikatro River Bridge at Ātiamuri Is underway.
Further improvements between Piarere and Taupō may follow during the next 10 years, after feasibility work is completed and funding allocated.
SH1 Piarere to Taupō network improvements
Safety improvements north of Maroa Road to Tram Road and Ātiamuri/Waikato River Bridge to Thorpe Road completed with final surfacing to come. Piarere to Tīrau section in design with no further funding allocated in the 2024-27 NLTP to complete this stage or construction.
CloseWe are improving safety and resilience on the highway between the Wairakei roundabout and the Taupō Airport roundabout.
Work to widen the road and install flexible median safety barriers and roadside barriers between Napier Road and Centennial Drive was completed in April 2022. The next stage between Napier Road and the airport roundabout is in construction for completion mid-2024.
Work was completed in August 2024 on the second of 3 sections. The detailed design is completed on the third section however there is no allocated funding for construction in the 2024-27 NLTP.
CloseWe are prioritising infrastructure changes aimed at improving safety on SH1 between Taupō Airport and Hātepe. Our team are working to understand the feasibility of the project design and once we know more, we will seek public feedback.
SH1 Taupō to Hatepe safety improvements
There is no funding allocated in the 2024-27 NLTP to complete the design or construction of this project.
CloseNZTA has completed a number of studies into SH1 looking south between Taupō and the Desert Road. These studies look at improving the SH1 corridor between Taupō andthe Desert Road over the next 30 years.
SH1 Taupō-Desert Road planning work
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