Opening this route was made possible by the confirmation that the Waihou River Bridge does not require strengthening, clearing the route to carry the heavier loads of full HPMVs.
This is the first of many routes which have been identified for investment to enable wider access for heavier trucks, enabling New Zealand businesses to unlock greater efficiency from moving more freight on fewer trucks.
The focus of the work on ‘Tranche 2’ is a number of link routes which will enable better access from key freight routes and hubs to New Zealand’s productive heartlands.
A bridge strengthening programme is currently being prepared by the NZ Transport Agency, with work expected to start later in 2016. The aim is to complete required upgrades by the end of 2017, opening up another 1500 kilometres to HPMVs.
“Once these routes are open, some 6300km of state highways will be open to HPMVs,” says the Transport Agency’s National Manager Network Optimisation Graham Taylor. “The 6300 km carries about 79 per cent of the total state highway freight volume”.
As new routes are opened the changes are reflected in the map of the High Productivity Freight Network which is available from our website, or via www.nzta.govt.nz/hpmv.