PROJECT UPDATE: We are proceeding with construction in April 2026.

In August 2025, we engaged with the community regarding better connections on Hibiscus Coast Highway, Silverdale.

We’re upgrading the Painton Road & Hibiscus Coast Highway intersection to ease congestion, improve bus reliability and keep traffic moving— whether you drive, catch the bus, or do both.

Work location

The map below shows where the work is taking place:

• We’ll be working for approximately 10 weeks (weather dependent) starting 27 April 2026. Work will be undertaken in the evenings between 8pm – 5am, Sunday – Thursday.

To keep disruption to a minimum, we will be completing the works overnight and our team will be on-site to keep things running smoothly.

If you are walking, cycling, driving or busing in or through the area, please follow the instruction of our on-site team and plan extra time for your journey.

Driveway and vehicle access to properties near the work site will at times be restricted. Our on-site team will speak directly to anyone that might be impacted and discuss how to minimise any disruption.

During the 10-week period, there will be some road closures, these and alternative routes are detailed below:

• Alberto Lane Road will be closed for 3 nights between 10 May and 21 May from 8pm to 5am for traffic island changes. There will be detours in place as below:

• Painton Road will be closed for 2 nights between 17 May and 28 May from 11:45pm (after the last bus service) and 5am for traffic island and line marking changes. There will be detours in place as below:

• Painton Road Right turn lane closure detour from 17 to 28 May between 8pm to 5am:

Project Benefits:

• Buses coming from SH1 or Dairy Flat turning into the station are expected to save around 1.5 minutes during peak periods. This will help people transferring between the Northern Express and local bus services make their connections on time.
• People coming from East Coast Road turning left into Painton Road on the bus or driving to the Park and Ride will be able to skip some of the traffic waiting for the motorway as the left turn lane is being extended by about 85m.

• Improve access to the Hibiscus Coast bus station and park and ride for drivers and bus users, making drop-offs and pick-ups smoother.
• Help connect to other transport improvements like the new bus shoulder lane on SH1
• This highway carries approx 40,000 vehicles per day
• Strategic freight network with around 90 freight vehicles per hour in busy periods
• Strategic public transport network with up to 18 buses per hour
• Services bus routes 981, 982, 983, 984 and 985

Contact us

If you have any queries or concerns about this project, please contact AT:

Email: info@at.govt.nz (please include reference ‘Hibiscus Coast Road Layout Improvements’)

Phone: 09 3553 553

If you have any queries related to the construction, please contact:

Name: Ajith Ayyanar

Phone: 027 215 1790

Email: ajithkumar.ayyanar@fultonhogan.com

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation while we carry out this work.

About the project

We’re upgrading the Painton Road & Hibiscus Coast Highway intersection to ease congestion, improve bus reliability and keep traffic moving— whether you drive, catch the bus, or do both.

This project is part of Auckland Transport’s Network Optimisation Programme and aligns with NZTA’s Silverdale Bus Priority Project. It aims to improve public transport reliability, reduce congestion, and support future growth in the Hibiscus Coast area. These improvements will make it easier for buses to access the station and improve traffic flow.

We’re building a transport system that works better for our whole community – now and in the future.

The changes we're making:

1. A new bus-only right-turn lane into Painton Road to get buses out of the general traffic lane. This lane will help buses connect with Northern Express services and feeder buses
2. Re-aligning lanes to make traffic flow better and reduce delays for all vehicles.
3. Widening the road between Alberto Lane and Painton Road to add an extra westbound lane to help buses and other vehicles heading to the bus
   station to bypass queues from SH1 and travel directly to Painton Road.
4. Adjusting kerbs, islands, traffic lights and streetlights to support the new layout
   

Why these changes are needed:

Hibiscus Coast Highway is a primary arterial and strategic public transport route which experiences significant peak time congestion:

• Peak Time Delays: During the busiest evening hours, eastbound routes face delays of up to 4 minutes, especially when exiting from SH1.
• Bus Connections: Feeder buses and express services approaching Hibiscus Coast Station often get stuck in traffic on Hibiscus Coast Highway, causing delays and missed connections.
• Support for NZTA: The new bus lane will support NZTA’s bus shoulder lane on SH1.
• Improved Westbound Travel: A new through lane at Alberto Lane will improve reliability for buses and vehicles traveling westbound to the Bus Station. This lane will allow vehicles heading to the bus station to bypass queues from SH1 and travel directly to Painton Road.
• Benefits for Park and Ride: The new lanes will benefit people driving to the park and ride as well as buses.

Benefits to your community

Even if you don’t take the bus, these changes will:

• Improve travel time & reliability.
• Ease peak-time congestion, especially for people coming off SH1 or heading through Silverdale.
• Improve access to the Hibiscus Coast bus station and park and ride for drivers and bus users, making drop-offs and pick-ups smoother.
• Support growth in your area by improving one of our busiest intersections.
• Help connect to other transport improvements like the new bus shoulder lane on SH1
• Make travel more reliable for everyone - fewer delays, fewer bottlenecks

What happens next

Any change to the plan will be updated on this page.

We will be in touch with the local residents and businesses prior to any construction taking place.