A significant milestone on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Papakura to Drury Road of Regional Significance has been reached with southbound traffic now using a new motorway alignment and bridge.

“The Southern Motorway carries about 80,000 vehicles each day and is critical to Auckland and the upper North Island’s economy,” says Transport Minister Chris Bishop.

“The Papakura to Drury project will improve safety, resilience, and journey reliability, while supporting growth in South Auckland and strengthening connections for people and freight.”

Moving southbound traffic onto the new alignment (between the BP motorway service centre, south of Papakura Interchange, and Drury Interchange) is a milestone for the team working on SH1 Papakura to Drury. The new alignment will create the space needed to continue widening the motorway and replacing ageing infrastructure in a way that keeps traffic moving as safely and efficiently as possible.

“The new southbound alignment includes the first of five new bridges being delivered as part of the second and final stage of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project. Starting in October, the old bridge will be dismantled in sections using cranes operating from within the widened motorway median,” Mr Bishop says.

“Once the old bridge is removed, construction can begin on a second southbound bridge that will ultimately be connected to the new structure alongside it. This bridge will then temporarily carry two lanes of traffic in each direction while the northbound bridge is dismantled and replaced with a wider structure. 

“These new bridges will be up to 2.5 metres higher than the bridges they replace, improving flood resilience and futureproofing for climate change and sea level rise.

Bridge building activities are also continuing across the wider corridor. Piles were recently finished for a new motorway bridge over Great South Road at Drury Interchange and next month teams will prepare to lift beams for a new Bremner Road bridge over Ngaakooroa Stream.

Construction of a new Bremner Road bridge over the motorway, replacing the structure demolished in mid-February, is also progressing, with abutment piling on the western side scheduled to begin in October.

Once completed in 2030, these improvements will see three lanes in each direction (one additional lane in each direction) between Papakura and Drury Interchanges and six new motorway bridges, enhanced safety barriers and lighting, walking and cycling connections, as well as future proofing for additional rail connections and wide shoulders to accommodate future bus services.