New Zealand State Highway 2

State Highway 2
Route information
Maintained by NZ Transport Agency
Length	968 km (601 mi)
Tourist routes	Pacific Coast Highway Classic New Zealand Wine Trail
Major junctions
North end	SH 1 Waikato Expressway near Pokeno
	SH 5 near Bay View SH 3 in Woodville
South end	SH 1 Wellington Urban Motorway at Ngauranga Interchange
Location
Primary destinations	Paeroa, Waihi, Tauranga, Te Puke, Whakatane, Opotiki, Gisborne, Wairoa, Napier, Hastings, Waipukurau, Dannevirke, Masterton, Carterton, Featherston, Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt
Highway system
New Zealand state highways Motorways and expressways List Unused ← SH 1 SH 3 →

State Highway 2 (SH 2) runs north–south through eastern parts of the North Island of New Zealand from the outskirts of Auckland to Wellington. It runs via Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, and Napier and Hastings in Hawke's Bay. It is the second-longest highway in the North Island, after State Highway 1, which runs the length of both of the country's main islands.

For most of its length it consists of a two-lane single carriageway, with frequent passing lanes. There are sections of expressway (four lane dual carriageway) at Maramarua, Tauranga and Wellington.

Route

Looking north on SH 2 (High Street South) in Carterton, 80 km (50 mi) from its terminus near Wellington.

The route that SH 2 took in 2008 is as follows.

SH 2 leaves SH 1 just north of Pokeno, 49 km south of central Auckland. It heads east, crossing the Hauraki Plains before running the length of the Karangahake Gorge, a break in the hills between the Coromandel Peninsula and Kaimai Ranges. From the mining town of Waihi it runs southeast, skirting the edge of Tauranga Harbour, which it crosses on the Tauranga Harbour Bridge before connecting to the 23 km Tauranga Eastern Link, a four lane toll motorway only recently completed. After reaching Paengaroa Junction with SH 33, SH 2 reverts to highway status and follows the coast for a further 34 km, until it reaches the village of Matata.

From Matata it heads slightly inland, crossing the Rangitaiki plain to the south of Whakatane, loops south to Taneatua, through the Waimana gorge and then back north to the coast near Opotiki. After Opotiki it turns inland, ascending southeast along the valley of the Waioeka River, then winding up to the 725-metre Traffords Hill summit. From here it descends into the watershed of the Waipaoa River following the river valley from Te Karaka to Makaraka, just outside Gisborne, to which it is connected by a short stretch of SH 35.

It then turns south, passing the Wharerata Forest and the isthmus of the Mahia Peninsula, turning west to follow the coast of Hawke Bay. Close to the mouth of the Waihua River it heads briefly inland, passing the Mohaka Forest and Lake Tūtira before rejoining the coast not far from the junction with SH 5 at Bay View. It continues south through Napier and turning inland to enter Hastings. From central Hastings it loses its national highway status for seven kilometres as it is cut in two by the Hastings City streets, regaining that status at Pakipaki.

It continues to head inland from Pakipaki, initially southwest to Waipukurau, then briefly west to follow tributaries of the Tukituki River upstream. Close to Norsewood it turns southwest, a direction it maintains for much of the remainder of its journey, crossing undulating country that forms the upper catchment of the Manawatu River. In Woodville, SH 2 meets State Highway 3 at a TOSTO intersection. SH 2 continues south along the Mangatainoka and Makakahi rivers through Pahiatua and Eketahuna, crossing into the Wairarapa valley via the Mount Bruce saddle.

SH 2 follows the Wairarapa valley through the towns of Masterton, Carterton and Greytown to Featherston. The highway then winds through the Remutaka Pass, between the Rimutaka and Tararua Ranges, crossing into the Hutt Valley. SH 2 follows the Hutt River down the valley, passing the cities of Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt to the west, to reach the northern end of Wellington Harbour at Petone. From central Upper Hutt, SH 2 widens to a 2+1 road before widening further to four lanes divided at Silverstream, before finally becoming expressway standard with grade-separated junctions south of Melling. The highway follows the shoreline of Wellington Harbour to Ngauranga and the Ngauranga Interchange, where it terminates onto SH 1.

Although the Ngauranga Interchange is the official end of SH 2, it is signed northbound as far back as the Mount Victoria Tunnel, 8 km before it begins.

Spur sections

SH 2 has one short spur: SH 2B. SH 2B runs for 4.1 km from SH 2 at Napier Airport to SH 50 at Taradale. This forms the northern part of the Hawke's Bay Expressway.

SH 2 used to have an additional spur, SH 2A which ran for 3.8 km from SH 2 through Tauranga, along 15th Avenue and Turret Road, to the junction with SH 29 (now SH 29A) at Maungatapu. This route was once the original route for SH 2 before it was shifted to the newly duplicated Tauranga Harbour Bridge. In August 2015, this state highway lost its full state highway status in conjunction with Takitimu Drive (Route K) Toll Road becoming part of the state highway network.^[1]

History

The section of SH 2 through Mangatawhiri had a poor crash record, and the seven-kilometre Mangatawhiri Deviation was opened in December 2008 to improve safety by bypassing it. Passing lanes in both directions provide safe passing opportunities. Grade-separated intersections improve safety for traffic wanting to cross or join the highway.

SH 2 used to follow former SH 2A's route in Tauranga, along 15th Ave, into Turret Road, and across the harbour to Maungatapu, where it joined SH 29, and then headed across the Maungatapu Bridge to Te Maunga. This was changed in 2009 when a second harbour bridge opened next to the current one, providing four lanes of traffic and an overpass from the harbour bridges to the Takitimu Drive expressway. SH 2A became the old section until it was revoked in 2015.

Before August 3, 2015, SH 2 used to travel via Te Puke. The Tauranga Eastern Link, a tolled motorway almost 23 km from Te Maunga Junction to Paengaroa officially opened on July 30, 2015. SH 2 now follows the Tauranga Eastern Link. The new four lane highway was constructed as part of the National government's Roads of National Significance, improving access from the east (Te Puke, Whakatane, Opotiki, Gisborne) and south from Rotorua and Taupo. It is the main route for trucks heading to the Port of Tauranga from Rotorua and the eastern Bay of Plenty, and connects the economically-important central plateau forestry industry with the port for export. This NZTA administered road is tolled at $2.00 for cars and motorcycles and $5.00 for trucks.^[2]

SH 2 used to extend into Whakatane, but recently this section was moved inland to pass through Edgecumbe and Awakeri, with SH 30 extended to Whakatane to cover the former route.

SH 2 used to run between Hastings and Pakipaki, but recently has been revoked.

The Rimutaka Hill Road, transversing the Rimutaka Ranges between Featherston and Upper Hutt, has a poor crash record, with many tight 25 and 35 km/h corners, and a lack of safety barriers to prevent vehicles dropping down off the road. The original winding route between Kaitoke and Te Marua was significantly realigned between 2002 and 2006. The tightest and narrowest corner on the road, named Muldoon's Corner after the former Prime Minister's financial stance ("tight and to the right"), is being bypassed with a new wider 55 km/h corner.^[3]

River Road, between Maoribank and Silverstream in Upper Hutt, was opened in 1987 to bypass central Upper Hutt. The new route was a two-laned single-carriageway 100 km/h road on the Hutt River's banks, crossing the river at Moonshine, and replaced the 50 km/h route via Fergusson Drive. Most of the road of the road has been widened to three lanes, and median barriers have been installed, with only the Moonshine Bridge and north of Totara Park Drive still having two lanes undivided (Gibbons Street to Totara Park is three lanes undivided).

SH 2's southern terminus has also changed. It formed the southern part of the Wellington Urban Motorway when SH 1 finished at the Aotea Quay off-ramp. In 1996, SH 1 replaced this section.^[4]

Future developments

Currently there are several projects to improve SH 2. They include:

• Kopuku Realignment: under investigation to improve to four-lane highway between the Mangatawhiri and Maramarua Deviations. The project is primarily a realignment project aimed at improving road safety and providing passing opportunities.^[5]
• Maramarua Deviation: a bypass of Maramarua township, east of the SH 1/2 Pokeno turnoff, to improve road safety, provide passing opportunities and reduce holiday peak congestion in Maramarua township. Design proposals were completed in 2009 but no date had been set for the start of construction. Since 2011 an intermin 90 km/h speed limit has been put in place.^[6]
• Waihi to Tauranga Corridor, which consists of four sub-projects:^[7]
  • Waihi to Omokoroa safety improvements: includes installing run-off barriers and a wide centre line, and improving 26 intersections.
  • Katikati Bypass: an investigation is currently being undertaken into the long-standing designation for the bypass to ensure that it will meet the future needs of Katikati, and is consistent with NZTA's overall strategy for long-term management of SH 2.^[8]
  • Omokoroa to Te Puna Expressway: a 7 km expressway following the existing SH 2 alignment from Omokoroa Road to the Tauranga Northern Link connection at Te Puna. The project includes a grade separated interchange at Omokoroa Road and building parallel local roads to serve existing side roads and driveways.
  • Tauranga Northern Link: a 6.8 km deviation bypassing Bethlehem and Te Puna to the south and bisecting SH 29 at the Takitimu Drive Toll Road. The government has pledged funding for secondary investigation work with construction likely to commence in 2018.^[9]
• SH2 Wainui Road to Opotiki: Road and roadside safety improvements are proposed from the outskirts of Ohope, along Wainui Road and SH 2 to near Opotiki.^[10]
• Motu Bridge Replacement: funding is being fast-tracked to replace the one-lane bridge between Opotiki and Gisborne with a new two-laned bridge.^[11]
• Watchman Road intersection: Intersection of SH 2/SH 2B and Watchman Road (a known black spot) is to be upgraded to a roundabout with Watchman Road being extended to provide safer access to Hawke's Bay Airport.^[12]
• Melling and Kennedy-Good Bridges and Interchanges: Improved interchanges are planned for the Melling and Kennedy-Good bridges over the Hutt River and the associated interchanges.^[13]

Traffic

The busiest section of SH 2 is just north of the Ngauranga Interchange in Wellington, which was measured at km 962 to have an AADT of over 67,000 vehicles both directions.^[14] The quietest section of road is near Otoko in the Gisborne District, which was measured at km 390 to have an AADT of fewer than 1000 vehicles.

Major intersections

Territorial authority	Location	km	jct	Destinations	Notes
Franklin District	Pokeno	0		SH 1 north – Auckland	SH 2 begins
				SH 1 south – Pokeno, Hamilton
Waikato District	District contains no major junctions
Hauraki District	Mangatarata	34		SH 25 – Thames, Coromandel Peninsula
		37		SH 27 – Matamata, Tirau
	Paeroa			Waihou River
		72		SH 26 north (Arney Street) – Coromandel Peninsula, Thames	SH 2/SH 26 concurrency begins
		73		SH 26 south (Te Aroha Road) Hamilton, Te Aroha	SH 2/SH 26 concurrency ends
	Waihi	93		SH 25 north (Kenny Street) – Whangamata, Tairua	SH 2/Pacific Coast Highway concurrency begins
Western Bay of Plenty District	District west of Tauranga contains no major junctions
Tauranga City
	Tauranga City	151		Fifteenth Avenue – Maungatapu, Welcome Bay	Formerly SH 2A. Eastbound exit and westbound entry only. Right-hand exit.
				SH 29 (Takitimu Drive Toll Road) Hamilton, Rotorua	Westbound exit and eastbound entry only
		156		Tauranga Harbour Bridge
	Te Maunga	164		SH 29A – Maungatapu, Tauriko	Tauranga Eastern Link begins
	Papamoa			Domain Road/Te Puke Highway – Papamoa, Te Puke	Toll-free route east via Te Puke Highway
Western Bay of Plenty District	Rangiuru			Toll point: cars & motorcycles $2.00, heavy vehicles $5.00
	Paengaroa	189		SH 33 – Rotorua Te Puke Highway – Te Puke	Tauranga Eastern Link ends Toll-free route west via Te Puke Highway
Whakatane District	Matata	223		Pacific Coast Highway (Arawa Street) – Whakatane, Opotiki	SH 2/Pacific Coast Highway concurrency ends
	Hawkens Junction	232		SH 34 (Awaiti South Road) – Kawerau, Rotorua
	Edgecumbe			Rangitaiki River
	Awakeri	242		SH 30 west – Rotorua	SH 2/SH 30 concurrency begins
		243		SH 30 east – Whakatane	SH 2/SH 30 concurrency ends
	Taneatua	253		Whakatane River Bridge
Opotiki District	Kerurutahi	285		Pacific Coast Highway (Wainui Road) – Ohope, Whakatane	SH 2/Pacific Coast Highway concurrency begins
	Opotiki	304		SH 35 (St John Street) – Te Kaha, Te Araroa	SH 2/Pacific Coast Highway concurrency ends
Gisborne District	Makaraka	443		Pacific Coast Highway (Main Road) – Gisborne, Te Araroa	SH 2/Pacific Coast Highway concurrency begins
	Matawhero	444		SH 35 (Awapuni Road) – Gisborne
	Matawhero	444		Tiniroto Road – Tiniroto, Wairoa	Former SH 36.
Wairoa District	North Clyde	533		SH 38 (Mahia Avenue) – Frasertown, Waikaremoana
Hastings District	District north of Napier contains no major junctions
Napier City	Bay View	638		SH 5 (Eskdale Drive) – Taupo
	Westshore	647		SH 2B (Hawke's Bay Expressway) – Hastings
				Watchman Road
	Napier Central	649		SH 50 north (Hyderabad Road) – Port	SH 2/SH 50 concurrency begins
		650		SH 50 south (Taradale Road) – Taradale, Hastings	SH 2/SH 50 concurrency ends SH 2/Pacific Coast Highway concurrency ends SH 2/Classic NZ Wine Trail concurrency begins
Hastings District	Karamu	669		Kenilworth Road	SH 2 temporarily ends
	Pakipaki	678		Te Aute Road – Havelock North SH 50A (Pakipaki Road) – Napier	SH 2 resumes
Central Hawke's Bay District	Waipukurau	721		Porangahau Road – Porangahau	Former SH 52
	Takapau	743		SH 50 – Tikokino, Ongaonga
Tararua District	Norsewood	753		Manawatu River
	Woodville	802		SH 3 (Vogel Street) – Palmerston North
	Ngawapurua	808		Manawatu River
Masterton District	Lansdowne	883		Te Ore Ore Road – Castlepoint, Riversdale Beach	Former SH 52
Carterton District	District contains no major junctions
South Wairarapa District	Greytown	909		Classic NZ Wine Trail (Moroa Plains Road) – Martinborough	SH 2/Classic NZ Wine Trail concurrency ends
	Featherston	921		SH 53 (Revans Street) – Martinborough	SH 2/Classic NZ Wine Trail concurrency begins
		931		Remutaka Pass 555 m (1,821 ft)
Upper Hutt City
	Maoribank	950		Fergusson Drive – Mangaroa, Upper Hutt City Centre	Hutt Expressway begins
Hutt City	Manor Park	962		SH 58 (Haywards Hill Road / Manor Park Road) – Manor Park, Pauatahanui, Porirua	[15]
Wellington City	Ngauranga	979		SH 1 north (Hutt Road) – Ngauranga, Porirua, Picton Ferry	SH 2/Classic NZ Wine Trail concurrency ends
				SH 1 south (Wellington Urban Motorway) – Wellington	SH 2 ends Hutt Expressway ends

SH 2B

Territorial authority	Location	km	jct	Destinations	Notes
Napier City	Westshore	0		SH 2 north (Main Road North) – Napier Airport, Gisborne	SH 2B begins SH 2B/Hawke's Bay Expressway concurrency begins
				SH 2 south (Meeanee Quay) – Napier City
	Onekawa	2.4		Prebensen Road
		4.1		SH 50 north (Taradale Road) – Port of Napier	SH 2B ends SH 2B/Hawke's Bay Expressway concurrency ends
				SH 50 south (Hawke's Bay Expressway) – Hastings

See also

• List of New Zealand state highways
• List of roads and highways, for notable or famous roads worldwide

References

External links

• New Zealand Transport Agency