Safer daily journeys for school children and the wider community are on the horizon, with Section two of the Morrinsville Road upgrades beginning on Monday 13 April 2026.
The upgrades, between Matangi Road and Cambridge Road, are expected to continue through to early July (timeframes are weather dependant).
What’s being built:
-
shared paths on the busiest cyclist and pedestrian sections of the road
-
physically separated on-road cycle lanes on remaining sections
-
safe, raised crossings on Mullane Street, Morris Road, and Berkley Avenue
-
improvements to the existing signalised pedestrian crossing on Morrinsville Road
-
new and upgraded bus stops
-
footpath widening
-
energy efficient LED streetlights
-
sections of road resurfacing.
Over the last 10 years, 70 crashes have been recorded on Morrinsville Road between Cambridge Road and the Waikato Expressway. Of these, 31 crashes occurred within this section, including four serious injury crashes.
Hamilton City Council Operate and Maintain Unit Director, Tania Hermann, says the upgrades will make the area safer for everyone and respond to feedback from schools requesting safety improvements for students.
“These upgrades will help Morrinsville Road feel more like a local road. Once complete, the road will be ready for transfer from New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi to Hamilton City Council.
The project follows community consultation in late 2025, where there was strong support for the proposed changes.”
Construction activities
Construction will generally take place Monday to Friday, between 7am and 6pm. Construction teams will avoid work during school pick-ups and drop-offs that could impact traffic, and some night work may be required to minimise disruptions.
Works will primarily take place on Morrinsville Road, with additional activity at the entrances to Berkley Avenue, Mullane Street and Morris Road to complete the safe raised crossings.
To minimise impacts on road users, the most disruptive work is planned to be completed while the roundabout works are in progress, making use of the existing road closure.
For the remainder of the construction period, two-way traffic flow will be maintained during daytime hours. On street parking will be heavily restricted, and people are encouraged to use nearby streets.
“We understand roadworks can be disruptive, and we appreciate everyone’s patience while this work is carried out,” Hermann says.
All the improvements are fully funded by the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi as part of the State Highway revocation process following construction of the Waikato Expressway.
The construction of the roundabout is expected to be completed by June 2026, with the shared path between East Ridge Grove and the Waikato Expressway expected to be completed by August 2026.
Further information
Find out more about the project and sign up for updates at hamilton.govt.nz/morrinsvilleroad. If there are significant changes to construction timeframes, Council will also provide updates via the Antenno app.