"He's actually climbed over the alcove area and the two carriageways are separated by another [barrier], so it's not an easy cross."
The man had been wearing a white T-shirt, shorts and shoes, and Mr Martin appealed for any sightings of the man prior to the crash. A lone baseball cap was left on the road several metres from where the white car had stopped.
Diversions were set up around the scene, backing up south-bound traffic for several kilometres.
Head of Western Bay of Plenty road policing Senior Sergeant Ian Campion said yesterday's crash and another where a person was seriously hurt after running out in front of a car near Te Maunga roundabout on January 2 were the only two incidents involving pedestrian crashes on the highway since it opened in 2015.
"It's not designed for pedestrians to cross. It's obvious when you view it, has central wire rope barriers, it's an expressway at 100km/h, there's no pedestrian refuge area or crossing points. It's simply high risk."
The Serious Crash Unit was investigating the collision.
Mr Campion said he wanted to extend a personal thanks to witnesses who stopped and helped the victim and the driver.
Mount Truck Sales, which operates from Bruce Rd, was forced to put off client appointments while the highway was shut down.
Sales manager Kevin O'Neill said there was nothing but maize growing on the eastern side of the highway where the man was hit.
"It's got no walking access. There's nothing to go to there on the other side of the road. It's a bit weird."
On Monday, a Rotorua man also suffered critical injuries after being hit by a car. The 50-year-old had been walking on the side of Wharawhara Rd near Katikati when he was hit about 2.30pm.
He was transferred from Tauranga Hospital to Waikato Hospital later that night, where he remained in a critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit yesterday .
Police said the driver of the car that hit the man was uninjured but shaken.
