A major milestone has been reached in the delivery of the Ōtaki to north of Levin (Ō2NL) Road of National Significance, with construction contracts now signed and activity on-site ramping up ahead of the spring construction start.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop confirmed the project is advancing under two alliance contracts, with Downer proud to be part of the team delivering the southern section of the 24km highway alongside partners McConnell Dowell, Beca, and Tonkin+Taylor.

Ō2NL is a significant step forward for the Wellington Northern Corridor, designed to improve safety, reduce travel times, and enable better connections for the growing Kāpiti and Horowhenua regions.

The new four-lane corridor will bypass busy town centres, remove many of heavy vehicles from local roads, and offer up to 15-minute time savings for northbound journeys. Importantly, the project unlocks new opportunities for housing, urban development and improved transport resilience across the lower North Island.

The southern alliance team is already making strong progress on site establishment, including environmental controls, fencing, demolition and road access setup. The southern section of the project also includes a separated shared pathway for walking and cycling, a southern half interchange connecting the new four-lane highway to the local road network, seven bridges and two underpasses.

Expected to open before the end of 2029, the highway also includes 21km of four-lane road and a 3km two-lane northern section, with roundabouts and interchanges designed to ensure smooth transitions with the wider network.

This project builds on Downer’s long-standing commitment to delivering safe, sustainable, and high-quality infrastructure that supports Aotearoa New Zealand. We look forward to working with NZTA to deliver this important part of the Roads of National Significance program, and to partnering with local iwi and hapū to ensure the project delivers long-lasting community outcomes.