Eastern Busway’s Rā Hihi (flyover) to open ahead of schedule Eastern Busway’s Rā Hihi (flyover) to open ahead of schedule
Date: 06 August 2025
A long-awaited flyover set to reduce congestion around Pakūranga town centre, one of New Zealand’s busiest intersections, will open in October - five months ahead of schedule.
Auckland Transport says Rā Hihi (flyover), also known as the Reeves Road flyover, will open to citybound traffic on 1 October and in both directions on Monday 27 October. Before that can happen, major work is necessary on Pakūranga Road that will disrupt traffic while lane layouts change.
Rā Hihi is a key part of the Eastern Busway project making bus and car trips quicker and easier.
The flyover will provide a direct link between Pakūranga Road and Pakūranga Highway, reducing local traffic during peak hours. It will also enable frequent, reliable buses on the Eastern Busway, which is being extended from Pakūranga to Botany.
Auckland Transport Group Manager Jane Small says the flyover will reduce congestion at one of New Zealand’s busiest intersections when fully open.
“From Saturday 20 September to Friday 24 October there will be fewer lanes on Pakūranga Road to enable Rā Hihi (flyover) to open. The most disruptive work will take place during the school holidays between Saturday 20 September and Saturday 27 September when there is less traffic.
“Drivers should expect congestion and delays and we suggest planning ahead to avoid travelling at peak times if possible. We will be working round the clock to get the job done.”
Ms Small says Auckland Transport and its alliance construction partners worked hard to plan and build the flyover efficiently, resulting in it opening five months ahead of schedule.
“Rā Hihi is a critical part of the Eastern Busway project that’s connecting East Auckland with rapid public transport to the rest of the city. It is the latest major transport improvement we’ve opened as part of the project following the Panmure Station, Panmure to Pakūranga busway and new Panmure intersection to replace the roundabout.”
Auckland Transport is integrating public transport like the Eastern Busway as Auckland grows, ensuring new development areas are well connected to public transport and other types of transport to support well-functioning urban environments.
Major work continues to extend the busway from Pakūranga to Botany. Construction is due to be completed by the end of 2026 and the busway will open in 2027 after testing and commissioning.
When it’s finished in 2027, the Eastern Busway will help people to travel by bus and train between Botany and Britomart in the city centre. As well as connecting surrounding suburbs with the rail network, it will also make local trips easier by providing more sustainable travel options for walking, biking and using the bus.
Rapid Transit is central to the success of great public transport around the world. It moves large numbers of people using rail, bus and ferry on specially built corridors, separated from other traffic to provide more reliable routes.
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Notes to editor:
Major work is necessary on Pakūranga Road so that access to Rā Hihi (flyover) can be completed and ready for use.
Rā Hihi will open in two stages during October 2025.
Two lanes on Rā Hihi from Pakūranga Road towards Waipuna Bridge will open on Wednesday 1 October. Rā Hihi will open in both directions on Monday 27 October (Labour Day).
To find out more visit easternbusway.nz/construction.
Visit AT.govt.nz/journeyplanner to plan your journey.