Running from the Bombay Hills to south of Cambridge, the Waikato Expressway runs for 102km, speeding up the run between Auckland and Tirau by bypassing Huntly, Hamilton, and Cambridge.
As one of the biggest roading projects that New Zealand has ever seen, it's quite the undertaking, and work has been going on for over a decade now, with plans to finish up in 2021.
Recently, a video was posted to the Waikato Expressway's YouTube channel explaining how the pavement is put down, and going in detail about the remaining work yet to be done around the Hamilton area.
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.