Major Cambridge to Piarere expressway investment welcomed
Waipā Mayor Mike Pettit has welcomed the Government’s commitment of around $1.8 billion for the Cambridge to Piarere expressway extension, describing it as a significant vote of confidence in Waipā and the wider Waikato.
“This is a significant investment for our region, particularly in a tight fiscal environment,” Pettit said
“When funding is constrained nationally, decisions like this signal strong confidence in Waikato’s role in New Zealand’s economy. From a Waipā perspective, it’s welcome and overdue.”
The funded project covers the 16-kilometre extension of the Waikato Expressway from Cambridge to the SH1/SH29 intersection at Piarere — one of the busiest and highest-risk routes in the district.
Mayor Pettit said the project was both a safety and economic priority for the region.
“For us, this is about getting people home safely while making one of the country’s key freight corridors more reliable for business and growth.”
“As part of the golden triangle, this corridor underpins productivity for the upper North Island, and improving it means more reliable freight, and stronger economic performance.”
Waipā District Council has consistently supported the project, highlighting its importance for improving safety outcomes, reducing congestion and travel times, and strengthening the local economy.
“We’ve long said this is an investment in both lives and livelihoods,” Pettit said.
The project is also expected to provide a boost during construction through local jobs and increased economic activity, while supporting long-term population and economic growth across the region.
Pettit said the scale of the investment reflected the national significance of the corridor and the strength of the economic case behind it.
“You don’t see this level of investment unless the national benefits are clear.”
“It will make a real difference — safer journeys, fewer disruptions, stronger freight connections, and a more productive region contributing to New Zealand’s overall growth.”
