State Highway One Transformation

State Highway 1 is a key resource in our local roading network. It services and connects our communities and facilitates the movement of people, freight and business through our District.

Following the opening of the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway, the current State Highway 1 (SH1), between Poplar Avenue and Peka Peka, is no longer required for state highway purposes. It will become a fit-for-purpose local road. 

Transitioning SH1 to a local road is a formal process. It involves 'revoking' or removing SH1’s classification as a national highway and transferring responsibility for SH1 from Waka Kotahi (the NZ Transport Agency) to the Council.

We're working with Waka Kotahi to deliver a fit-for-purpose local road that improves our district's resilience and enhances connectivity across Kāpiti. The Poplar Avenue to Peka Peka Road section of SH1 will continue to operate as an emergency by-pass route.

Improving access to and from the Paraparaumu and Waikanae town centres, improving connections to and from rail and bus hubs, and enhancing cycling and walking options are key deliverables of this project. 

In making SH1 a fit-for-purpose local road, a variety of factors have been considered including the quality of the road, kerbs, shared paths, cycle lanes, planting and urban design, speed limits, and renaming of the road.

February 2022 update

NZTA restarted work on its revocation project in May 2020. The original programme of work has been changed to minimise disruption to local businesses and communities in light of COVID-19. This means that less disruptive work will happen first.

Before Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency hands back the old State Highway 1 to Council to operate and maintain, they’re transforming the road from a high-capacity highway to a local road. This includes making the road safer for walking and cycling and laying a new road surface.

Visit Waka Kotahi's Northern Corridor improvements page for more information about these works.

Further information

Transforming this stretch of highway to a local road is a joint initiative between us and the NZTA, and the programme of works is being carried out by NZTA. For more info, see NZTA's website. 

See the NZTA/Council project agreement[PDF 16.54 MB] for the revocation of SH1.