Upper Harbour Motorway Greenhithe

The Upper Harbour Motorway

Due to heavy traffic demands on the two lane Upper Harbour Highway and the importance of the inter-city connection; between North Shore City and Waitakere City, a four lane motorway connecting the two in a safer, more efficient way was decided upon.

This is an important motorway in the Auckland Region because it creates an alternative route north allowing an alternative to the clogged Southern and Northern Motorways. It adds another section to the Western Ring Motorway Network.

The Upper Harbour Motorway is covered by two sections, currently you are on the Greenhithe Section page:

- Section 1: Greenhithe Section and Upper Harbour Bridge Section - Both Complete in 2007.
- Section 2: Hobsonville Section - Under construction.

The Greenhithe Section
$110m | Complete. Opened to traffic Friday 7th December 2007.

The Greenhithe section of the Upper Harbour Motorway runs from the beginning of the current Upper Harbour Highway at the Constellation Drive and Northern Motorway interchange and continues past the Albany Highway to the eastern foot of the Upper Harbour bridge.

This was the second section to be completed out of the three section Upper Harbour Motorway project (split into two on this website), with the $37m Upper Harbour Bridge duplication completing first. The new bridge includes a cycle way, footpath and a slow vehicle lane as the eastbound lanes are uphill, it is a Balanced Cantilever at 458 metres long and has seven spans.

This section was one of the most important as it connects two cities together; Waitakere City and North Shore City. It takes pressure off the Albany Highway corridor for vehicles making the east to west connection. While this section will be completed before the Hobsonville Section it will offer faster connections to State Highway 16, surrounding suburbs and Whenuapai until 2012 when the whole Upper Harbour Motorway is complete.

Completed images and information

This section was officially complete on Thursday the 6th of December 2007. The ribbon was cut by then Prime Minister Helen Clark and was also opened by local iwi. The section was opened to traffic on Friday the 7th of December 2007. Images of the complete sections between Albany Highway and Greenhithe Interchanges are below. These photos were taken between 5 and 6.30am in wet conditions just as the section was opened.

Above: Looking east toward the Albany Highway interchange, this section is 3 lanes east and 2 lanes west wide.	Above: Looking west in the eastbound carriageway. This photo is about 300m west from the Albany Highway Interchange.

Above: Looking east at Albany Highway interchange with related signs.	Above: Looking west before the Greenhithe Interchange, urban design and artwork on the sound fences. Vegetation will grow along the banks, and trees will be planted.

Above: Looking west before the Greenhithe Interchange, note that the Buckley Ave interchange is not yet complete.		Above: Looking west just after the Albany Highway interchange

Looking west before Greenhithe Road interchange		Greenhithe Road interchange and off-ramp

Greenhithe Road		Looking west after Greenhithe Road

Looking west along the old Upper Harbour Bridge		Looking east along the new Upper Harbour Bridge

Looking east along the new Upper Harbour Bridge		Looking east at the Tauhinu Road off-ramp

Looking east at the Tauhinu Road overbridge		Greenhithe Road interchange

Completed Upper Harbour Bridge

Completed Interchanges

Albany Highway Interchange

The Albany Highway interchange is currently the end point for the motorway section of State Highway 18, carrying high volumes of traffic to the Albany Highway and connecting westbound to the Upper Harbour Highway. It is a busy thoroughfare for industrial and freight vehicles due to the Albany Business Park and heavily used by commuters during peak periods.

The Albany Highway interchange has standard diamond layout with traffic signal controlled intersections[?].


Looking west, with on and off ramps on either side.	Looking west, with on and off ramps on either side.	Looking east, with the westbound off-ramp and fantastic grass creepers on the retaining wall.	Related signs.

Greenhithe Road Interchange

The Greenhithe Road interchange gives access to the Greenhithe suburb for exiting traffic heading westbound and entering traffic heading eastbound on the Upper Harbour Motorway.

For eastbound off-ramps and westbound on-ramps traffic use the Tauhinu Interchange shown below.


Looking west.	Looking east across Greenhithe Road.	Looking east with the off-ramp to the right.

Tauhinu Road Interchange

The Tauhinu Road Interchange only offers access for traffic exiting from the west and access entering westbound.

Access is given from Tauhinu Road to the existing Upper Harbour Drive.


Looking east up the ramp to the overbridge	Looking west along the motorway	Looking east under the Tauhinu Interchange