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About the project

What is the background of the SH1 Whangārei to Port Marsden Highway project?

The SH1 Whangārei to Port Marsden Highway project is part of the wider Whangārei to Te Hana programme, aimed at building safer and more resilient transport connections between Northland and Auckland.

We began working on the detailed business case in 2017 and progressed to the point of identifying four short-listed route options between Whangārei and Port Marsden Highway.  Online safety improvements were also recommended for the corridor.

The project was then placed on hold pending the outcomes of an independent re-evaluation to seek alignment with the Government Policy Statement for Land Transport (GPS2018). The outcome of the 2018 re-evaluation recommended route protection for additional capacity (between Whangārei and Port Marsden Highway) in the future, although there was no funding available at the time to progress the project.

In January 2020 the government announced the NZ Upgrade Programme that identified and committed funding to a number of transport infrastructure projects across the country, which included the Whangārei to Port Marsden Highway section.  Funding for this project is to deliver a four-lane corridor with a shared path between Whangārei and Port Marsden Highway, which includes completion of the business case and well as the planning, design and construction of the project.

In October 2020, we carried out public consultation on a refined shortlist of two options and, based on this and further assessments, identified the emerging preferred corridor at the end of November 2020.

In December, we met with landowners within the emerging preferred corridor to discuss potential property impacts and next steps.

Why do we need this project?

This section of SH1 has a poor safety record.

Northland’s population has grown faster than any other region as a result of growth overflow from Auckland. The upgraded corridor will strengthen the region’s transport links with Auckland, supporting the annual movement of two million tonnes of freight between Northland and Auckland.

The project will support Northland economic growth, such as tourism which contributes around $1 billion per year to the region and improve road safety, which in turn will help improve travel reliability for all users.

What is happening with the Port Marsden Highway to Te Hana section of SH1?

NZ Upgrade Programme funding is specifically for the Whangārei to Port Marsden Highway section of the Whangārei to Te Hana programme.

Separate funding will be required to progress the Port Marsden Highway to Te Hana section further. Subject to funding, the next steps for the Port Marsden Highway to Te Hana section will be the completion of a detailed business case.

Project status

What is the current status of the Whangārei to Port Marsden Highway project?

We have progressed to the point of identifying the emerging preferred corridor which includes upgrading the current state highway with some sections built on a new alignment to straighten out curves.

In December 2020, we met with potentially impacted landowners to discuss individual property impacts and are now in the process of undertaking geotechnical investigations and design work to inform the indicative alignment.

What are the next steps and when will construction start?

The next steps for this project are to carry out further technical assessments and ground investigations to confirm the preferred corridor.

We are planning to lodge the Notice(s) of Requirement and resource consent applications in early-2022, followed by procurement for construction and detailed design.

Construction is intended to begin late-2023/early-2024 and is expected to be completed in stages by 2028.

When will more details be available about the exact route of the upgraded corridor?

Initial design work is underway to identify an indicative alignment within the emerging preferred corridor. This is to ensure the preferred corridor is wide enough to accommodate four lanes of traffic, a shared path (as well as a footpath in the urban section) and upgraded intersections. The preferred corridor also needs to include land required for stormwater management, earthworks, environmental mitigation and landscaping.

We plan to present the indicative alignment within the preferred corridor later this year and will communicate this with directly affected landowners in writing first before making any public announcement.

How long will the project take?

The Whangārei to Port Marsden Highway project is in the early stages of investigation and design. Construction is intended to start in late-2023 / early-2024 and expected to be completed by 2028.

Emerging preferred corridor

Why is the emerging preferred corridor so wide around the Portland and Oakleigh areas?

Some areas of the emerging preferred corridor, such as areas south of Portland Road and north of Oakleigh, are particularly wide as these areas require additional environmental and geotechnical investigations to inform the design of the highway.

The width of the emerging preferred corridor shown will be refined over the coming months through ground investigations, landowner consultation and design work.

How has the emerging preferred corridor been informed?

The width of the corridor includes land required to construct, operate and maintain a transport corridor. This includes land for treating and managing stormwater, space for structures to support the highway such as retaining walls and slopes, the shared path for walkers and cyclists and of course, the four-lane highway.

The width of the emerging preferred corridor is expected to change as a result of ground investigations and design development in the coming months. This means that the impact on property may change. We will keep you informed of any changes to information we have provided you in respect of your property.

How can we give feedback on the emerging preferred corridor?

We encourage feedback from the community on our emerging preferred corridor. Your feedback will help to inform highway design detail including the form of intersections, access points and location of the shared path.

We encourage you to share your thoughts via our interactive mapping tool, Social Pinpoint.

Social Pinpoint(external link) 

You can also send your feedback via email to us at w2pmh@nzta.govt.nz

Project features

What is a shared path and why is it being included in this project?

A shared path is an area of road, separated from the trafficked roadway, that may include walking, cycling and mobility aids and wheeled recreation devices (scooters, skateboards etc).

This project meets the government’s priority to create more transport choices for New Zealanders and will deliver a safe and direct walking and cycling link along the busy highway between Whangārei and Port Marsden Highway.

What will the shared path look like?

The shared path is still in very early stages of development, but there are a few things we do know:

  • Through the urban section, between Tarewa Road and Toetoe Road, there will be a wide shared path on one side and a standard footpath on the other side.
  • Through the rural section, there will be a wide shared path running parallel to the state highway.

We are yet to decide whether the shared path will be on the eastern side of SH1 or to the west. The location of the shared path will reflect connection to local roads, communities and attractions along the route. 

Here is an example of what a cross section of the upgraded state highway could look like:

We encourage you to share your thoughts on the design of the shared path. You can share your feedback with us on our interactive mapping tool, Social Pinpoint.

Social Pinpoint(external link) 

What changes will be made to SH1 between Tarewa Road and Toetoe Road?

This section of the state highway will be widened to accommodate four lanes. Other proposed improvements include:

  • Intersection improvements such as traffic lights and/or roundabouts, for better connectivity and journey time reliability in urban Whangārei
  • A raised central median island to separate north and south bound traffic to improve safety
  • Shared path and safer crossing points to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

What are ‘managed lanes’ and why are they being investigated for this project?

Managed lanes are used to prioritise certain modes of transport to improve traffic flow and congestion. For this project, it could mean having a lane in either direction prioritising freight, multi-occupancy vehicles and public transport.

Managed lanes would be new to the Northland region, and we are in the very early stages of investigating whether this is a viable option for the region.

How will local roads and driveways access the state highway?

The upgraded state highway will include two lanes in each direction with a centre median barrier. For property with driveways along this section of the state highway, this will mean turning movements will be restricted to left turns only.

Intersection upgrades will be required but are still in the early stages of design. We are looking at safer ways for everyone to use the upgraded highway and this might mean a change in how you access the state highway from your property or local road. More details will become available once the indicative alignment is confirmed.

Where can we see further design detail like intersections, crossings etc?

The design of the road within the emerging preferred corridor is at a very early stage of development and design detail including the form of intersections, access points and location of the shared path are not yet known. More details will become available once the indicative alignment is confirmed.

What safety improvements are being made?

Safety is our biggest priority for this project. We have a number of safety improvements planned to align with the government’s Road to Zero programme including:

  • A central median barrier to separate north and south bound traffic
  • Intersection improvements such as traffic lights and roundabouts
  • Straightening out curves and gradients along the corridor where possible
  • Shared paths and safer crossing points to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Road to Zero(external link)

Property

I’m a landowner within the emerging preferred corridor. When will I know for sure if my property is impacted?

We plan to communicate with landowners by late-2021 to let them know whether their property is impacted and to what extent.

How many properties will be affected by this project?

Once we have identified the preferred corridor, we will have a better idea about the number of properties affected and property owners will be contacted directly.

The number of properties affected and the scale of impact on individual properties will be confirmed through technical work, such as site survey and geotechnical investigations. Property impacts therefore remain subject to change until lodgement of designation and consents, which is programmed for early-2022.

What happens if you need to purchase my property?

If we need your property for the project, landowners will be fairly compensated under the Public Works Act.

If you are affected, we will:

  • Come and talk to you personally
  • Work with you to manage your concerns
  • Explain the support you are entitled to
  • Explain the relevant processes and your rights

Landowners can go to the Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) website for more information. LINZ produce a booklet, Landowners’ Rights When the Crown Requires Your Land for a Public Work, to inform landowners of their rights and the role of accredited suppliers in negotiations. You can browse this information online or download a printable version.

Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) website(external link)

Can you purchase my property now?

We are not actively purchasing properties for the project currently as the preferred corridor and proposed designation boundary has not yet been identified.

We intend to enter the property acquisition process (where property negotiations would occur) after we lodge our Notice of Requirement (NoR) in early 2022.

Once the preferred corridor is confirmed, we will consider requests to purchase properties wholly affected by the corridor, ahead of lodgement of NoR and resource consents.

Partial land acquisition (where part of a property is affected), will not commence until after lodgement, as proposed designation boundaries are subject to change and therefore the extent of partial impact cannot be confirmed until the NoR has been served.

Can you give me more information on the Public Works Act and compensation process if my property is required for the new highway?

In New Zealand, the Public Works Act 1981 provides the power to acquire property for public works and also entitles affected property owners to compensation. Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), on behalf of the Crown, is responsible for administering this Act.

  • Where Waka Kotahi requires property for a public work, a LINZ accredited supplier is engaged to carry out the negotiations on the Agency’s behalf.
  • If a property, or part of a property, is required for the project, Waka Kotahi will pay compensation based on market value. Market value is assessed by an independent valuer. You are also welcome to engage your own valuer, at our cost.
  • In addition to the market value of a property, reasonable legal and valuation fees and moving costs are reimbursed by Waka Kotahi once they have been approved by LINZ.
  • If a property, or part of a property, is required for the project, the property owner may also be eligible for additional compensation of up to $50,000, depending on whether a dwelling that needs to be acquired is their principal place of residence.
  • If a property owner has a business located on that property, they may be entitled to claim compensation for business loss. The loss may include loss of profits and goodwill, although the loss of profits must relate to proven loss of “actual profits”. Loss of “anticipated profits” is not provided for in the Public Works Act 1981.

Public Works Act 1981(external link) 

Once the highway is upgraded to four lanes, will I still be able to access my property?

Yes, however you may not be able to do this in the same way that you do now. We are looking at safer ways for everyone to use the upgraded highway and this may mean a change in how you access your property. More details will become available once the preferred corridor is confirmed and indicative alignment identified.

I think my property/business may be affected. Who do I speak to?

Contact the project team: w2pmh@nzta.govt.nz

Project neighbours

How will you manage the impacts of noise, dust and vibration on my property during construction?

We draw on a range of methods to manage noise and vibration created by road traffic, construction and maintenance.

Most traffic noise is generated from tyre contact with the road. To mitigate it, we can employ low-noise road surfaces, noise barriers such as walls and fences (primarily in urban areas) and landscaping methods.

We also use design approaches such as road gradient, intersection layout and designing the road to be driven at a certain speed. Mitigation for traffic noise follows a ‘best practicable option’ approach. Noise specialists work with the design team and other specialists to recommend mitigation measures.

Road construction and maintenance can consist of many activities that cause noise and vibration, such as earthworks, rock blasting, drilling and heavy vehicle movements. While much of this is unavoidable, as much as possible we aim to reduce any disturbance to communities through early communication, timing of activities and best practice techniques.

How can I be involved in the Resource Management Act process?

We intend to lodge a NoR and resource consent application in early-2022. The applications are likely to be publicly notified, and you will be able to make a formal submission through the RMA process.

The RMA process(external link)

How will you communicate with project neighbours as the project progresses?

As the emerging preferred corridor will alter throughout the planning phase (until consent applications are lodged in early 2022), it is important that we stay in touch with each other.

We acknowledge that our project neighbours will have many questions and concerns relating to the planning, construction and operation of the upgraded highway.

At this very early stage in project development we do not have all the answers but are working to provide more information to our project neighbours in the coming months.

We are also looking at dividing the project into ‘neighbourhoods’ for the purpose of communications and engagement throughout the planning and construction of the project. This approach will ensure we have relevant information, meaningful engagement and can be responsive to the needs of our immediate neighbours.

To stay up to date with the latest information on the project, sign up for email updates on our website.

SH1 Whangārei to Port Marsden Highway

Glossary

‘Online’ and ‘offline’ construction

Online refers to construction on or generally alongside the current highway whereas offline refers to construction occurring a separate location to the current highway.

Transport corridor

A transport corridor is an area of land which is used or planned for transport purposes (eg: a road, rail, path).

Emerging preferred corridor

The emerging preferred corridor is the area of land that is emerging as our preferred corridor but will require further technical work and refinement before finalising – at which point it will become our ‘preferred corridor’.

Indicative alignment

The indicative alignment is the draft design of the highway within the preferred corridor. At the ‘indicative’ stage, the design is subject to change and has not yet been finalised.

Proposed designation boundary

The proposed designation boundary includes the land that we will need for the construction, operation and maintenance of the upgraded state highway.

This includes land for treating and managing stormwater, space for structures to support the highway such as retaining walls and slopes, the shared path for walkers and cyclists and of course, the four-lane highway.

Once the preferred corridor is confirmed, we will use this as a guide to identify a proposed designation boundary which will be lodged with the resource consent application in early-2022. The proposed designation boundary is confirmed through a statutory process known as a Notice of Requirement.

Notice of Requirement (NoR)

For Waka Kotahi, the process for designating land is undertaken through a Notice of Requirement (NoR) process. A NoR is similar to applying for a resource consent. It is a statutory process in the Resource Management Act (RMA) and is how Waka Kotahi notifies Council that it is seeking to designate land. Until a designation has been confirmed and included in a district plan, a designation is referred to as a NoR.