New Reeves Road Flyover Opens in East Auckland to Ease Traffic Congestion and Boost Productivity

A new flyover set to open to traffic in East Auckland will ease congestion and boost the city’s productivity, Transport Minister Chris Bishop, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown say.

The Reeves Road flyover, which directly links Pakuranga Road to Pakuranga Highway, was officially opened today by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Transport Minister Chris Bishop, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown.

Sitting in traffic wastes time and money. A fast, reliable transport network in Auckland is essential for the city’s growth and for New Zealand’s prosperity, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.

The new flyover will open to citybound traffic in the coming days, and then fully open in both directions in late October once the intersection work is finished.

It’s a key piece of the $1.3 billion Eastern Busway project, jointly funded by the Crown, NZ Transport Agency and Auckland Council and delivered by Auckland Transport.

The Eastern Busway will benefit both drivers and public transport users. By 2027, people will be able to move quickly by rapid bus and train between Botany, Pakuranga, Panmure, and all the way into the city centre.

When the Eastern Busway to Botany is complete it will provide a reliable 40-minute bus and train trip between Botany and downtown Auckland. By 2028 it is forecasted to carry 18,000 passengers per day, with 24,000 passengers per day by 2048.

Alongside the City Rail Link, which opens in 2026, these projects will reshape the way people get around Auckland. The Panmure to Pakuranga busway, already open, is proof of how rapid transit can give people better access to jobs and opportunities across the city.

This is all part of the Government’s work to build a transport system that supports economic growth, lifts productivity, and makes travel safer and more reliable.

For too long there has been under-investment in transport infrastructure in East Auckland and we are changing that, says Auckland Minister Simeon Brown.

The Reeves Road Flyover is something that people in East Auckland have waited a long time for. The vast majority of people in East Auckland travel to work by car, and this roading connection will provide some much-needed relief from traffic congestion around the Pakuranga Plaza.

As Auckland grows, we must invest in both roads and public transport. This project does exactly that, with the Reeves Road Flyover separating motorists from the new Eastern Busway beneath it. The busway will deliver a vital public transport link from East Auckland to the CBD, allowing people to travel from Botany to Britomart in just 40 minutes.

The people of East Auckland had to fight hard to keep the Reeves Road Flyover on the plans after multiple attempts to cancel this project because it was a road. Thankfully, commonsense won and this project will soon be open for motorists.

It is also benefiting the economy now by providing jobs, with about 500 workers currently employed by the Eastern Busway project, Mr Brown says.

Mayor Wayne Brown says the flyover will ease traffic delays at one of Auckland’s busiest intersections.

The Eastern Busway is a major investment by Auckland Council and the Government and delivers on one of my five key policies – Get Auckland moving.  As well as the flyover, the project includes 7km of dedicated busway with five new stations, and 12km of walking and cycling routes, says Mayor Brown.

I’m focused on delivering projects better, faster and cheaper, so I’m pleased to see Auckland Transport and its Eastern Busway Alliance partners open the flyover five months ahead of schedule and under budget.

The flyover allows for the creation of a dedicated busway improving the speed and reliability of public transport and reduces congestion.  This makes it easier for people to get to their destinations around our city quickly and safely, says Mayor Brown.