Major milestone for Waikato Expressway

Transport Minister Simon Bridges welcomes news that work on the final Hamilton section of the $2.1 billion Waikato Expressway will start in 2016, following the announcement of the successful tenderer today.

This section, a 21 kilometre stretch of road, will be the biggest single roading project in Waikato’s history and cost $973 million.

“This is one of seven sections of highway that make up the 102 kilometre Waikato Expressway, a Road of National Significance identified early by the Government for progression,” Mr Bridges says.

Mr Bridges said when finished in 2020 the Waikato Expressway will greatly reduce travel times, improve road safety and boost the economy.

“This will be the critical transport corridor for the region, connecting Auckland to the agricultural and business centres of Waikato and Bay of Plenty. In that regard, this project is also of serious inter-regional significance.”

A consortium of contractors and designers made up of Fletcher, Beca, Higgins and Coffey (FBHC) have won the contract.

“I congratulate the companies for winning the tender on this game-changing project” says Mr Bridges.