50092 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Transport

50092 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Transport: Has NZTA carried out a cost-benefit analysis comparing continued maintenance of the Brynderwyn Hills section of SH1 with the construction of a new alignment, if so, what were its findings?

Hon Chris Bishop: Yes, NZTA has undertaken a cost-benefit assessment of the corridor, and this has included the current forecast level of service for the Brynderwyn Hills section. This work confirmed the long-term corridor will provide a safe, resilient and efficient state highway connection between Auckland and Whangārei. This will be staged over a number of years and deliver nationally significant benefits including: • Economic growth and productivity: improved reliability and travel times, boosting economic growth in the Northland region. • Resilience: a more resilient and reliable state highway connection with less closures. • Improved safety: a safer state highway corridor with reduced deaths and serious injuries. This work also confirmed a Benefit-Cost Ratio of 1.4 for the sections north of Te Hana.