The Puhoi to Warkworth motorway project is now due to open mid May 2022, rather than the original completion date of October 2021, due to delays caused by the Covid-19 lockdown.

The New Zealand Transport Agency and Fletcher Building have reached an agreement on how to manage the Covid-19-related delays. The agreement includes a second payment to Fletcher to cover the cost of delays: $85 million.

The lockdown came just before three million cubic metres of earth were due to be moved. By the time lockdown was over and work could start again, the ground was too wet for the earth works to happen, which has had a knock-on effect for the planned winter construction programme, Seven months have been added to the completion date and $85 million to the price tag.

”We know people have been looking forward to using this spectacular new motorway and while any delay is disappointing, we are pleased with the quality of the project and the progress that had been made prior to COVID-19, and we are pleased we have a good plan for getting it open to the public as soon as possible despite circumstances beyond anyone’s control”, says Waka Kotahi Transport Services, General Manager, Brett Gliddon.

The pandemic is the second delay to the project. The first hurdle encountered was slow land purchasing agreements and appeals to the environmental court. These resulted in a payment of $83 million to Fletcher to cover delays. 

The initial estimate for NZTA's total agreed contribution to the project was $709.5 million, but this has now risen to $877.5 million. NZTA’s suggested tolling of the road to counter the costs was met with a great deal of public backlash.

The expected completion date is still heavily dependent on good weather and no additional unexpected challenges, including further disruptions from Covid-19.