Prime Minister pushes NZ Transport Agency to halve timeline for $1.8 bn road project

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a "coaching conversation" with Transport Agency chief executive Brett Gliddon at the Cambridge to Piarere Expressway site, pressing for a shorter, less costly build. The project, a four-lane, 16-km road of national significance in Waikato, is projected to take five years and cost $1.8 billion, which Luxon described as excessive for a standard road. Gliddon explained that environmental issues and required earthworks set one outlet schedule, but contractors have been urged to think creatively to reduce it.

Luxon suggested an 18-month completion window, citing examples from Israel and Canada, and asked whether rules could be changed to allow 24/7 work. Gliddon called the goal "a bit ambitious" yet affirmed his commitment to accelerate delivery, while both men praised recent improvements in NZTA performance. Transport Minister Chris Bishop highlighted a separate bridge project finishing under budget, underscoring the government's focus on infrastructure efficiency.