Kapiti Expressway

The Kapiti Expressway is a four-lane grade-separated expressway through the Kapiti Coast, north of Wellington, New Zealand. As of February 2017, it stretches 18 km (11 mi) from Mackays Crossing north of Paekakariki to just north of Peka Peka, bypassing the former two-lane route through Raumati South, Paraparaumu, and Waikanae. Construction of a 14 km (8.7 mi) northern extension to just north of Ōtaki, bypassing Te Horo and Ōtaki, started in 2017.

Kapiti Expressway
State Highway 1
Route information
Maintained by NZ Transport Agency
Length18 km (11 mi)
History24 February 2017–present
Major junctions
North end SH 1 north of Otaki
South end SH 1 at Mackays Crossing, north of Paekakariki
Location
Primary
destinations		Peka Peka, Waikanae, Paraparaumu, Raumati South
Highway system
Looking south along the Kapiti Expressway towards the Kapiti Road interchange.

Construction

The section from just south of Mackays Crossing to just south of Poplar Avenue at Raumati South was completed in 2007 with the completion of the Mackays Crossing interchange and rail overbridge, bypassing the existing rail level crossing. The previously constructed four-lane section from Mackays Crossing to Poplar Avenue was upgraded during 2016 and early 2017 to provide an improved road surface. This section of road is constructed on an old peat swamp and develops an uneven surface over time.

Work on the Raumati to Peka Peka section started in December 2013.[1] The official opening ceremony was held on 16 February 2017, and the expressway opened to traffic in the early hours of 24 February 2017, some three months ahead of the original scheduled date. Some works, including the final layer of asphalt on some sections and roundabouts at the Peka Peka and Poplar Avenue interchanges, took until mid-2017 to complete.[2][3]

The first sod was turned on the Peka Peka to Ōtaki section on 6 July 2017 and will finish in 2021.

Controversies

After 18 months it was apparent the road needed repairs. 49 kilometres of lanes were found to be leaking, due to the new type of low-sound asphalt that was used for its construction. This caused the road to crack and sink in many areas.[4] When the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) where asked, under an Official Information Act request, to provide information on the cause of the issues encountered they declined.[5]

In July 2017 the Transport Minister Simon Bridges announced that an full Peka Peka Interchange would need to be built to connect the Waikanae North, Peka Peka and Te Horo Communities to the Kapiti Expressway.[6] In January 2019, the NZTA announced plans to stop this project. [7] [8] An initiate was formed named "Finish our Road"[9] focusing on the safety implications because higher traffic on local roads, impact on ratepayers subject to higher maintenance costs and impact on the rural communities of the Kapiti Coast. In May 2019, the Kapiti Coast District Council voted unanimously to back the goals of the initiative to review the business case provided by NZTA and their decision not to build the Peka Peka interchange.[10]

Exit list
LocationkmDestination(s)Notes
Ōtaki 998.5 SH 1 north – Levin, Palmerston North, Taupō Stage 2 northern terminus
999.8 Main Highway – Ōtaki Southbound exit and northbound entrance
1001.7 Ōtaki River
1002.1 Ōtaki Gorge Road – Ōtaki Northbound exit and southbound entrance
Currently terminates north of Peka Peka Road
Peka Peka 1012 Peka Peka Road – Peka Peka, Waikanae Southbound exit and northbound entrance
40.8406°S 175.0868°E / -40.8406; 175.0868 (Peka Peka interchange)
Waikanae 1017 Te Moana Road – Waikanae, Waikanae Beach 40.8677°S 175.0335°E / -40.8677; 175.0335 (Te Moana Rd interchange)
1018.4 Waikanae River 40.8777°S 175.0279°E / -40.8777; 175.0279 (Waikanae River bridge)
Paraparaumu 1023 Kapiti Road – Paraparaumu, Paraparaumu Beach 40.9084°S 174.9997°E / -40.9084; 174.9997 (Kapiti Rd interchange)
Raumati 1026.6 Poplar Avenue – Raumati, Paraparaumu Northbound exit and southbound entrance
40.9398°S 174.9931°E / -40.9398; 174.9931 (Poplar Ave interchange)
Mackays Crossing 1030.3 Whareroa Road – Queen Elizabeth Park 40.9709°S 174.9830°E / -40.9709; 174.9830 (Mackays Crossing interchange)
SH 1 south – Paekakariki, Porirua, Wellington Southern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Unopened

References
  1. "Work starts on MacKays to Peka Peka expressway". Fairfax New Zealand (via Stuff.co.nz). 2 December 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  2. Maxwell, Joel (7 February 2017). "Kapiti expressway gets official completion date of February 16". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  3. Haxton, David (16 February 2017). "Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway north of Wellington opens". nzherald.co.nz (via Kapiti News). Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  4. "Kāpiti expressway needs $2.3m worth of repairs, just 18 months after opening". Fairfax New Zealand (via Stuff.co.nz). 13 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  5. "NZTA refuses to release information about damaged highways". Radio New Zealand (RNZ). 29 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  6. "Kapiti commuters to get new interchange as work starts on next stage of expressway". Stuff.co.nz). 7 July 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  7. "Plans scrapped for new Kāpiti expressway interchange at Peka Peka". Stuff.co.nz). 14 January 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  8. "Disappointment at Peka Peka interchange decision". Kapiti Coast District Council). 25 January 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  9. "Finish our Road - Connect Kapiti". Finish our Road Iniative). 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  10. "Council backs call for Peka Peka interchange rethink". Otaki Today). 15 June 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
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