Expressway saves lives — now Waikato wants it finished

Saturday, 6 September 2025

The AA has hailed safety improvements on the Waikato Expressway, and said support exists for it to be extended to Tirau.

Major upgrades on some of Waikato’s most dangerous highways have saved lives, cutting deaths and serious injuries by nearly half in places — and the results have sparked calls to push the Expressway south into other developing black spots.

According to data released by the AA Research Foundation, four of the five highest-risk roads in the region have recorded substantial drops in serious and fatal crashes since the early 2000s. The most striking improvement came on State Highway 2 between Pōkeno and Mangatāwhiri where serious and fatal crashes have fallen by more than half — a 51.5 percent reduction.

The Huntly to Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway saw a 27% drop in serious crashes.

Other parts of the region’s lifeline highway network also showed clear progress. On State Highway 1 between Meremere and Rangiriri - once dubbed the Highway of Death by the Waikato Times in the early 2000s as it campaigned for safety improvements - serious crashes dropped by 31.6 percent since improvements that eventually became the Waikato Expressway.

The Huntly to Hamilton stretch saw a 27.6 percent decline, while between Cambridge and Piarere the reduction was 20 percent.

Despite the increase in traffic — the AA’s figures show average daily vehicle movements on these roads have jumped from just over 67,000 in the early 2000s to nearly 97,000 today, a rise of 44 percent — the number of lives lost fell from 36 to 16.

AA Waikato District Council chair Bill McMaster said the results prove the payoff from investing in safer infrastructure. “Fatal crashes have dropped by more than half on roads where traffic has gone up by over 40 percent,” he said. “That’s a great result for road safety in our region.”

But the research also highlights a stark warning. One stretch — SH1 between Cambridge and Piarere— recorded a 75 percent rise in deaths and serious injuries over the same period. It was the highest increase across all 35 high-risk roads included in the study.

McMaster said the results were clear: where major capital works had been carried out, such as building new lanes and installing barriers, safety had improved.

The Expressway, he said, had been transformative.

Senior Sergeant John McCarthy, Waikato Road Policing Manager, said police had also noticed - and welcomed - the reduction of deaths and serious crashes on the Expressway.

“It’s been a massive improvement over the old roads, with two lanes in each direction and the inclusion of median and side barriers. The research proves that building roads to modern standards and for higher traffic volumes can make a huge difference.”

For the Cambridge to Piarere corridor, however, he said incremental fixes had not been enough. While some safety improvements had been introduced, McMaster described the highway as an essential link in SH1 — “the country’s most significant roadway” — that urgently needed to be completed as part of the Waikato Expressway.

Waikato AA District Council chair Bill McMaster said there was support for extending the Expressway to Tirau.

“Extending the Expressway from Cambridge to Piarere is on the Government’s radar as a Road of National Significance,” he said. “We’re eager to see a construction timeline soon. Finishing the Expressway to Piarere could bring down the rate of high-severity crashes by as much as 70 percent, according to NZTA.”

Police share the AA’s optimism about the progress so far but stress there is no room for complacency. Senior Sergeant John McCarthy, Waikato’s road policing manager, said officers had noticed the difference on the upgraded highways. “We’ve seen, and we’re pleased to see, a decrease in serious injuries and fatalities across stretches of the Waikato Expressway,” he said. “Any improvements that make our roads safer for motorists are welcome. But while it’s encouraging that the numbers are dropping, the reality is that even one death or serious injury on our roads is one too many.”

The Waikato Expressway ends south of Cambridge and crashes between there and Piarere have increased. Plans are underway to extend it south.

McCarthy said police remain committed to doing everything they can to reduce the toll, but that they could not achieve lasting results alone. He urged drivers to take responsibility as well: ensure everyone is properly restrained, stick to safe speeds, avoid distractions such as cellphones, and never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Support for pushing ahead with the Expressway south of Cambridge is strong across the region. McMaster said there is “widespread support for the Expressway to extend south, eventually to Tīrau”, with local leaders and agencies backing the project.

Waipā Mayor Susan O’Regan said the evidence speaks for itself.

She described the Expressway as “hugely beneficial,” noting that it has not only made state highways safer but has also reduced pressure on local roads. “These projects aren’t just about moving people and freight more quickly,” she said. “They are about preventing tragedies on our roads.

The Expressway has created a double benefit: safer highways and safer local streets for pedestrians, cyclists, and families. The figures show it has dramatically reduced road trauma across the region, and one life lost, or one serious injury, is one too many.”

For now, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is continuing its planning and design work on the Cambridge to Piarere extension under the Government’s Fast-track Consenting Act. But with the latest data showing crashes climbing, pressure is mounting for ministers to lock in funding and move quickly.

As McMaster put it, the message from Waikato is simple: “Measure the urgency of this upgrade in terms of people’s lives and wellbeing, as well as in dollars.”