Editorial: A major transport project is delivered, but there’s more in the waiting room

The Puhoi to Warkworth Road of National Significance. Photo / NZME

In a region where public holiday weekends are synonymous with traffic jams heading out of Auckland, a shiny new and quicker road on a major route is a welcome addition for motorists.

The official opening of the Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway after a year of delays improves a section of the main artery of road transport in the northern part of the country where population growth is fastest. The road is expected to cut time off the drive and be safer.

It follows the previous completion of the important link south of Auckland to Cambridge, which is quicker and easier to drive than before with an overtaking lane, and also Transmission Gully near Wellington.

The upper North Island regions have dominated population growth rates for the past decade, and that’s expected to continue.

The country has also experienced a migration surge over the same 10-year period, except for a dip during the Covid-19 pandemic. That trend is bouncing back and there was a gain of 72,300 people in the year to April.

This all puts pressure on New Zealand’s creaking infrastructure generally.

A need for resilient transport links between urban centres was highlighted during the summer storms. There are increasing hazards to roads in a warming climate.

The widening of transport options for people and goods will continue to make progress on climate emissions, but improvements to key areas of the existing road network - through new section upgrade projects - are a must as well.

Officially opening the new highway, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins made the point that: “The recent extreme weather events have highlighted how fragile the Auckland to Northland transport corridor can be, so this is a major step forward in ensuring a reliable connection to the north”.

Reliable links also represent a tangible solid and visible measure of progress for voters. They can see where the money has gone and they can personally get some direct benefit. Work on the highway has also encouraged housing development in Warkworth.

The $880 million project was started under the last National government in 2016 and Labour previously called it a “holiday highway” when in opposition.

Hipkins said it was about having a balance in road funding between Roads of National Significance, roading maintenance, and local roads. “We need to invest in new roads but also make sure we are maintaining the existing roads.”

It’s important a major route functions well in times of high useage as well as regularly - after all, peak times are when most people experience it. About 35,000 vehicles are expected to use the 18.5km road daily.

The next northern section of State Highway 1 due for development is between Warkworth and Wellsford. As yet neither major party has committed to that stage.

However, both will be aware of the appeal of promising road improvements to voters and both still have to outline transport policies.

Toll prices on three state highways will rise from next month. More toll roads and public, private partnerships may need to be considered for a programme of improved roads under the next government.

There is a long list of costly transport projects in the waiting room for funding and delivery.