A year after construction began, the new flyover at one of Auckland’s busiest intersections is now standing tall, with commuters seeing progress as work continues on Auckland Transport’s (AT) Eastern Busway project.
The flyover, named Rā Hihi (meaning “sun’s rays”), is being built near the Pakūranga town centre and now stretches across Tī Rākau Drive at the South Eastern Highway intersection. In a significant milestone, construction teams recently completed a three-night operation to install eight massive concrete beams, using one of the country’s largest mobile cranes.
Once completed, Rā Hihi will directly connect Pakūranga Road with the South Eastern Highway, forming a crucial link in the Eastern Busway extension towards Botany. The project also includes a shared path, and together, these improvements are expected to reduce congestion at the Pakūranga town centre by up to 40% during peak times.
“Rā Hihi comes closer to completion with every week that goes by and it’s something the community is really looking forward to ahead of the Eastern Busway opening,” says Howick Local Board chair Damian Light.
“Rā Hihi will make getting around much easier for everyone, not just for those who will drive over it, but for the thousands of us that’ll go under it every day on a bus, bike, or on foot.”
Howick Ward councillor and AT director Maurice Williamson, a long-time advocate for the project, says it marks a major step forward for East Auckland commuters.
“The community has been telling AT to do something about the congestion in this part of Auckland, so it’s great AT has listened and is making good progress on this vital new connection which will do wonders for keeping the roads moving and the buses running on time.”
The Tī Rākau Drive – South Eastern Highway intersection is among the busiest in the country, with more than 60,000 vehicles and 280 buses passing through daily, according to AT programmes and property strategic development group manager Jane Small.
“It has been a frustrating chokepoint for East Aucklanders. Rā Hihi will bring benefits to drivers as well as public transport users, whose bus trips will be faster and more reliable as a result of reduced congestion,” Small says.
“It’s a critical part of the Eastern Busway project that’s connecting East Auckland with rapid public transport to the rest of the city and providing better local travel options which the community has been asking for.”
The Eastern Busway project is a key part of Auckland’s expanding rapid transit network, aimed at providing faster, more efficient public transport options across the city.
The first section of the Eastern Busway, linking Pakūranga town centre with Panmure Train Station, opened in 2021. The next phase, currently under construction, will extend the busway from Pakūranga towards Botany, adding 5km of separated busway and 12km of walking and cycling routes. Once complete, it will offer more ways for East Aucklanders to travel, with faster and more direct connections to the rest of the city.
