Roading Network

The network is made up of sealed and unsealed roads and associated footpaths, kerbing and channelling and street lighting.

The network excludes State Highways which are maintained by New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA). Council receives a subsidy for roading construction and repairs but must contribute its own share of the funding before the NZTA share becomes available.

State Highways

The major function of State Highways is to carry through-traffic from one major centre to another. Within the Whangarei district there are three State Highways:

• State Highway One which links Whangarei to Auckland and forms the main roading link to Kaitaia.
• State Highway 14 which links Whangarei to Dargaville.
• State Highway 15A which links State Highway 1 to One Tree Point (leading to the Marsden Point Port).

Arterial roads

These are the major roads into and through the district (excluding State Highways), and roads servicing significant areas of development.

Collector roads

These roads are those that collect traffic from specific areas, or link important roads or major traffic generators, such as industrial areas or tourist attractions.

Local roads

These roads are not those classified into the above categories, and whose major function is to provide access to property, rather than provide routes for traffic

Daily traffic volumes

• 70% of roads in Whangarei are rural and the majority of these roads have an average volume of 100 to 500 vehicles per day.
• 16% of the road length is classified as being ‘coastal’.  The majority of coastal roads have an average volume of over 500 vehicles per day. 
• Ngunguru Road and Whangarei Heads Road have an average volume of 4,000 to 10,000 vehicles a day.
• 14% of the road length is classified as ‘urban’.  The roads with the highest traffic volumes are Riverside Drive, Okara Drive, Bank Street, Hatea Drive, Kamo Road, Mill Road, Walton Street, Maunu Road, and Onerahi Road.