NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Waka Kotahi has named a preferred construction consortium to deliver the Warkworth-to-Te Hana section of the Northland Corridor, advancing the major transport project between Auckland and Northland.

A consortium led by a Spanish infrastructure company has been chosen as the preferred bidder to fund and construct the next phase of the Northland Corridor, a proposed 26 km expressway linking Warkworth and Te Hana. NZTA refers to the project as the Northland Corridor, while the Government commonly uses the name Northland Expressway. The section moving into the delivery phase is officially known as Ara Tūhono – Warkworth to Te Hana. The Māori name translates to “connecting pathway”, highlighting the route’s purpose of improving connections between communities in the upper North Island.

The Northway consortium, made up of Acciona Concesiones, Aberdeen Global Sustainable Infrastructure GP IV (formerly abrdn), and Acciona Construction New Zealand, has emerged as the NZ Transport Agency’s preferred bidder for the project after outperforming two rival international consortia. The unsuccessful contenders were Go>North, led by French infrastructure operator VINCI Highways and supported by New Zealand contractor HEB Construction, and Together North, an Australian-led consortium headed by Plenary.

The Warkworth–Te Hana stage will feature a four-lane expressway linked directly to the recently opened Pūhoi–Warkworth motorway. A key component is an 850-metre twin-bore tunnel through Dome Valley, designed to bypass one of the most difficult sections of the existing highway. Interchanges are proposed at Warkworth, Wellsford and Te Hana to enhance connections for local communities while supporting freight movements, tourism and daily travel. This section is part of the broader Northland Corridor project, a major transport initiative that will ultimately create a continuous four-lane route of about 100 km between Warkworth and Whangārei. This new stage picks up where the completed Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway left off. That first 18.5-km section — also part of the Ara Tūhono programme — opened in June 2023 and was itself delivered as a PPP. The Northern Express Group (NX2) consortium was responsible for its financing, design and long-term maintenance, with the physical construction carried out by a joint venture between Fletcher Construction and Acciona — the same Spanish infrastructure company now leading the Northway bid for the next stage. 

The project’s next phase continues north from the recently completed Pūhoi–Warkworth motorway. That 18.5-km section, which forms part of the wider Ara Tūhono programme, opened to traffic in June 2023 and was delivered through a PPP. The motorway was financed, designed and is maintained by the NX2 consortium, while construction was undertaken by a joint venture between Fletcher Construction and Acciona. Acciona is now leading the Northway consortium, selected as the preferred bidder for the Warkworth–Te Hana stage.

With negotiations now underway, NZTA aims to finalise the contract by mid-2026. Subject to agreement being reached, Northway is expected to commence detailed design and early construction works before the end of the year.