Auckland Southern Motorway

New Zealand motorway
motorway= Southern Motorway
image-file = Auckland State Highway One.jpg
image-size = 225px
image-caption = The Southern Motorway at the Princes Street, Otahuhu junction (Exit 441)
state-highway= State Highway 1
length-km= 51
length-mi= 32
direction= North - South
start= Auckland City
Central Motorway Junction
destinations= Auckland City
Port
Auckland Airport
Manukau
Papakura
Drury
end= Bombay Hills
Waikato Expressway
opening-date= 1953
completion-date=
junctions= Exit 426A/426B
State Highway 16 (Northwest Motorway)
Exit 428/429C
State Highway 16 (Northwest Motorway)
Exit 448/449
State Highway 20
Exit 461
State Highway 22The Auckland Southern Motorway (also known as the Southern Motorway, and historically as the Auckland - Hamilton Motorway) is the major route south out of the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is part of State Highway 1.

The motorway is 51 kilometres in length, with 28 junctions including termini. It runs from the Central Motorway Junction in central Auckland, through Manukau City, Papakura, and Drury, before terminating onto the Waikato Expressway at the top of the Bombay Hills.

History

Construction of the motorway began in 1950 with the first section opened between Ellerslie and Mount Wellington in July 1953. This was followed by an extension south to Wiri, which opened in December 1955.

The next stage of construction involved the extension of the Motorway from Wiri south to Takanini (which opened in May 1963) and north from Ellerslie to Greenlane in December 1963. In 1965 an extension southbound from Takanini to Drury was completed and with construction underway on the Newmarket viaduct, the motorway was progressively extended north to St Marks Road.

With the completion of the Newmarket Viaduct in September 1966, the motorway was extended to Khyber Pass. From Khyber Pass, a northbound carriageway was constructed to Symonds Street and opened in December 1966. The corresponding on ramp was not constructed until 1971.

In the early 1970s work commenced on extending the motorway from Drury to the Bombay Hills, while at its northern end, the motorway was connected to the Northern Motorway at the Central Motorway Junction.

In 1992, a further extension from the Bombay Hills to Mercer was completed, although only to expressway rather than motorway standards and is now considered part of the Waikato Expressway rather than the Southern Motorway. [ [http://www.petroltax.org.nz/PDF/AucklandMotorways.PDF] ]

Future

Several major projects are planned for the Southern Motorway within the next ten years (from 2008). From north to south they are:

*Newmarket Viaduct Replacement - The existing Newmarket Viaduct is six lanes wide, congested, and does not meet today's eathquake standards. The plan is to build a new seven-lane viaduct (with provisions for an eighth lane) to the east of the existing viaduct, and demolish the existing one. Construction is planned to start within the next two years, and is expected to be completed by 2015. The project is forecast to cost around NZ$180 million.

*Newmarket Viaduct to Greenlane Auxiliary Lane - A fourth lane will be constructed south of the existing Newmarket Viaduct to the Greenlane Interchange. The lane will be used to carry the extra traffic from the extra fourth southbound lane on the new Newmarket Viaduct. The project is currently at the design stage, and will cost in the region of $5 million to $20 million.

*Green Lane Interchange Improvements - A combined project between Transit New Zealand and Auckland City Council will see the Greenlane Interchange upgraded to povide dedicated turn lanes, improved traffic flow, and improved pedestrian and cycling facilites. The project is due for completion in 2008.

Exit list

See also

*List of motorways in New Zealand
*List of motorways, expressways, and highways in Auckland

References