Construction has now started on a project on Great South Road in Takaanini to help keep people moving and make journeys safer and more reliable.
Great South Road is the main way people travel around and through Takaanini. Whether heading to work, school, the shopping centre, the train stations or the motorway, it's a busy and critical path. High levels of commuter traffic are also being funnelled into and through Takaanini from fast-growing suburbs and towns such as Papakura, Drury, Pōkeno and Pukekohe.
The project, which will be delivered in stages, has received strong support from the local community and Papakura Local Board. It will make practical changes along one of the busiest stretches of Great South Road to help ease congestion and prepare for future growth.
Construction is now underway on Stage 1 and, depending on weather, is expected to be completed by 25 October 2026. This stage of the project is focused on giving traffic more room to move along the corridor, by:
• Reconfiguring road space to create two continuous traffic lanes in each direction for almost the entire corridor – between Manuroa Road and Glenora Road southbound, and between Graham Road and Manuroa Road northbound.
• Removing on-road cycle lane markings and introducing “no stopping at all times” broken yellow lines where parking currently disrupts traffic flow. Stage 2 will build new off-road walking and cycling paths to replace the on-road cycle lanes.
• Removing two low‑use bus stops near Beach Road to help improve bus timetables and efficiency. Stage 2 will relocate the two bus stops near Taka Street intersection further south down Great South Road, putting them closer to shops, restaurants and other key destinations.
Manurewa-Papakura Ward Councillor Daniel Newman and Councillor Matt Winiata are supportive of these changes.
"The existing lanes, including the on-road cycle lanes, are both unsafe and contribute to traffic-slowing bottlenecks.
"Regional funding is being tapped into for the project because we have to get far more capacity out of our key road corridors, which means moving more people and freight through this area faster.”
Papakura Local Board Chairperson Kelvin Hieatt welcomes the road optimisation plans.
“Great South Road is an important route for commercial vehicles that service our many industrial and retail hubs and surrounding communities. We’ve got to make more space for them as well as families, their vehicles, and our bus services.
“In short, more lanes mean better flow and less time stuck in traffic.”
This project supports the Takaanini Rail Crossing programme and other nearby optimisation and safety projects. Three vehicle and up to two walking and cycling bridges are being built in Takaanini to replace rail crossings.
Auckland Council's Head of Road Network Operations & Optimisation, Andrew Allen says the road and rail projects are part of a wider initiative to improve safety, reliability, and connectivity across Takaanini.
“Now that City Rail Link (CRL) is up and running, this project will help make Great South Road better able to handle the traffic impacts of trains running more often through the rail crossings.
“If we do nothing in the meantime, the roads around the rail crossings will get congested more often, creating more disruption and delays on Great South Road.
“Teams at Auckland Transport and Auckland Council are coordinating engagement and delivery so the community can understand how the projects fit together, and so construction impacts are managed as carefully as possible.”
Once the full project is complete it will bring numerous benefits:
For motorists:
• Fewer bottlenecks caused by parked vehicles and inconsistent lane layouts
• Smoother traffic flow, especially at peak times
• More reliable journeys through the corridor as train frequency increases.
For pedestrians and cyclists:
• Safer, higher‑quality off‑road facilities that better suit a busy arterial road
• New and improved crossing points that make it easier and safer to get across Great South Road
• Upgraded footpaths that are wider, smoother and more accessible.
For public transport users:
• Better located, more accessible bus stops closer to shops, services and other key destinations
• Improved bus stop spacing to support more reliable timetables.
For the wider network:
• Supports the success of the Takaanini Rail Level Crossings Programme
• Helps futureproof Great South Road as one of South Auckland’s key transport corridors.
During construction, contractors will work to minimise disruption, such as scheduling works during off-peak hours, providing clear signage and detours, and keeping in mind other works happening in the area. The construction team will also contact property owners along the route directly to help ensure access to their properties is maintained.
After construction of Stage 1 is completed, more information will be shared about when Stage 2 will be delivered.
More information about this project is available here.