This month marks one year since Ara Tūhono – Pūhoi to Warkworth opened to the public, providing a faster, safer and more efficient connection between Auckland and Northland.

Pūhoi to Warkworth is New Zealand’s second roading Public Private Partnership (PPP) and the first in the upper North Island. Our PPP partners, the Northern Express Group (NX2), have financed, designed and constructed the motorway. NX2 will continue to maintain the road for the next 24 years.

The road provides a safe, direct and resilient route for close to 20,000 vehicles every day traveling to and from the beautiful north for tourism, seeing family and friends and for freight moving goods within New Zealand and to overseas markets.

Over the last year, the new motorway has changed the way people move around the north Auckland network by reducing travel times and improving access and journeys.

There has been zero deaths and serious injuries on the road, reflecting the high safety standard. The median barrier has been hit a number of times, doing its job each time by keeping vehicles from running into other vehicles or off the road.

It has also provided an alternative route to the existing old SH1 which has been impacted by severe weather events.

Mark McKenzie, Portfolio Manager NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) says the motorway is a key link in our state highway network.

“It’s great to see the contribution of this road towards reduced congestion and improved journeys across the north Auckland transport network continue – it has proven to provide a resilient gateway to Northland as well as improved safety for all those who use the wider network.

“People are saving up to 20 minutes on their return journeys with the road separating local traffic from traffic transiting through the area. This has eased congestion on the old SH1 and opened up access to popular destinations between the Auckland and Northland regions.”

Upcoming overnight closures to complete finishing touches will be communicated on our website and through social media.

From 1 July 2024, Old SH1 will be handed over to Auckland Transport as Pohuehue Road.

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