The final part of the Waikato Expressway will start in October, with Downer NZ being awarded the contract to build the $115 million Longswamp section, transport minister Simon Bridges says.
The project is the final of seven sections of the 102km-long Waikato Expressway, a road of national significance identified by government as key to unlocking New Zealand’s economic growth.
“This means all sections of the Waikato Expressway will be under construction by the end of 2016. The Longswamp section is the final piece of this transformational project,” says Bridges.
Construction of the 5.9km project will see the existing SH1 widened to four lanes between Hampton Downs and Rangiriri and a new local road bridge will also be built over the four-lane expressway.
“This project will improve connections for the local community across the expressway and make them much safer,” concludes Bridges. “It will reduce congestion and unlock economic potential by providing stronger links between Auckland’s business and agricultural centres and the Waikato, as well as the Bay of Plenty.”
The project is expected to be complete in 2018.
