It's one of New Zealand's most highly-anticipated stretches of road, and with all things going well, it looks like we should see the Waikato Expressway completed within the year.
While NZTA has remained tight-lipped about specific dates (due to safety reasons) we can safely assume that it will be completed in late 2021, with the first cars travelling on it in early 2022.
Just recently, a video was released showing a team of workers installing a roadside light — one of several that will be installed in the coming months.
Alongside these lights, a total of 868 signs will be installed throughout the same period, as you can imagine, getting this right is a rather important part of the process.
"A lot of planning goes into this and there are national standards to follow. From large gantry signs hanging over two lanes to smaller directional signage – it’s all got to be in place when we open," said Waka Kotahi on Facebook.
The Waikato Expressway is the key strategic corridor for the Waikato region; when complete it will run 102km from the Bombay Hills to south of Cambridge.
It's claimed that once completed, the new road will reduce travel times between Auckland and Tirau by up to 35 minutes.
The Expressway will improve economic growth and productivity for New Zealand’s upper North Island through more efficient movement of people and freight.
It's also hoped that the Expressway will reduce crashes, increase traffic capacity, take congestion away from communities like Huntly, Ngaruawahia and Cambridge, reduce fuel costs for motorists and contribute to economic growth.
The Waikato Expressway project is one of seven current roads of national significance, and part of the Government’s National Infrastructure Plan. The focus is on moving people and freight between and within the country’s five largest population centres more safely and efficiently.