New Zealand State Highway 44

New Zealand State Highway 44

State Highway 44 NZ.svg

State Highway 44
Route information
Maintained by New Zealand Transport Agency
Length: 6 km (4 mi)
Major junctions
West end: New Plymouth
East end: Port Taranaki
Highway system

New Zealand State Highways
Motorways and Expressways • List • Unused

SH 43 SH 45

State Highway 44 is a New Zealand State Highway. It is the newest highway on the network and at 5.2 km it is one of the shortest. Its entire length is within the New Plymouth city area.

Contents

History

SH44 was created in response to an increase in truck traffic between SH3 and Port Taranaki and the resulting damage being caused to the preferred route (Breakwater Rd/St Aubyn St/Molesworth St). Initially Transit New Zealand was opposed to taking on the road as part of the highway network (making it responsible for the maintenance rather than the New Plymouth District Council) as for much of the route SH45 is less than 200m away and runs in parallel. However as SH45 is a hillier route, uses the one-way network, and has a greater number of traffic lights insisting heavy vehicles use that route was not feasible and Transit eventually granted network status.

Route

This is the route taken by SH44 in 2008. The highway leaves SH3 at the corners where Leach (westbound one-way) and Courtenay (eastbound one-way) Streets intersect with Eliot Street (north-south) just north-east of the New Plymouth CBD. This is the same place where SH45 also commences. It continues along Eliot St to Molesworth Street then west along this stretch of road, which in turn becomes St Aubyn Street then Breakwater Road. While it terminates at Port Taranaki both entrances to the port are part of SH44. The first is via Bayly Road and Ocean View Parade while the other is at the end of Breakwater Road.

See also

References