44 Bowen Street
Private Bag 6995
Wellington 6141
New Zealand
T 64 4 894 5400
F 64 4 894 6100
www.nzta.govt.nz
31 January 2024
Cyclist Fan
[FYI request #25359 email]
REF: OIA-14410
Dear Cyclist Fan
Request made under the Official Information Act 1982
Thank you for your email
of 9 January 2024 requesting the following information under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act):
What is the total km of sealed road network in Aotearoa?
How many km of road are being replaced per year?
What is the funding gap between current expenditure by the Government (including National's
$500 mil ion funding promise), and actual budget required to sustainable replace al roads in
NZ over the lifespan of 25 and 40 years of the road.
I wil respond to each of your questions in turn.
What is the total km of sealed road network in Aotearoa?
As at 2022/23, and noting that the network grows each year, there were 65,633.3km of sealed roads,
of which 11,072.3km are a state highway. Further information on the length of urban and rural, sealed
and unsealed roads is publicly available at
www.nzta.govt.nz/planning-and-investment/learning-and-
resources/transport-data/data-and-tools/. 2022/23 is the most up to date information we have. This
information is updated annually for financial years ended 30 June.
How many km of road are being replaced per year?
Please see Attachment A which shows the length of roads being built, reconstructed or seal extended
across New Zealand.
Further information on the length of roads being built, reconstructed or seal is publicly available at
www.nzta.govt.nz/planning-and-investment/learning-and-resources/transport-data/data-and-tools/. What is the funding gap between current expenditure by the Government (including National's $500
mil ion funding promise), and actual budget required to sustainable replace all roads in NZ over the
lifespan of 25 and 40 years of the road.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) does not hold this information in the form you have
requested it. NZTA provided advice to the Minister of Transport on 30 November 2023 on asset
condition and maintenance. Sections of this briefing would be relevant to your request with respect to
state highways only. This advice is being withheld in ful under section 9(2)(f)(iv) which al ows for the
withholding of information to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being which protect
the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the Crown and officials.
In September 2023, NZTA also published a
State highway investment proposal 2024-34 available at:
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/state-highway-investment-proposal-2024-34/
While the above proposal covers investment in maintenance and renewal of state highways over the
next 10 years, it is likely to be revised as a new Government Policy Statement (GPS) is being
developed to reflect Government investment priorities. Each local Roading Control Authority (RCA) wil
also have a maintenance and renewal investment plan for their region once a new GPS comes into
effect.
With respect to the information that has been withheld from your request, I do not consider there are
any other factors which would render it desirable, in the public interest, to make the information
available.
Under section 28 of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review my decision to
withhold this information. The contact details for the Ombudsman can be located at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
If you would like to discuss this reply with Waka Kotahi, please contact Ministerial Services by email to
[email address] Yours sincerely
Andrew Clark
National Manager – Maintenance and Operations
2
Attachment A: Length of roads built, reconstructed or ‘seal extended’ measured in lane kilometres – New Zealand
State highway/
Work Undertaken
2011/
2012/
2013/201
2014/
2015/
2016/20
2017/
2018/
2019/2
2020/
2021/
2022/
Region
local road
(see Key)
2012
2013
4
2015
2016
17
2018
2019
020
2021
2022
2023
National
Local road
New roads
46.0*
77.9
19.0
20.1
16.7
48.1
39.9
86.0
63.2
52.4
69.3
84.1
Pavement
National
Local road
rehabilitation
734.0
566.0
1384.9
630.3
453.4
443.0
436.7
338.5
296.1
324.1
252.4
237.6
National
Local road
Resurfacing
6081.0
5860.5
5863.5
6301.6
6067.1
6186.1
5578.8
5588.1
5364.3
6003.7
5537.3
4845.2
Road
National
Local road
reconstruction
70.0
58.4
32.0
28.3
35.617
234.3
116.0
70.4
108.4
155.0
25.1
40.2
National
Local road
Seal extension
117.0
14.2
32.1
19.6
26.8
33.7
73.1
88.2
53.9
85.2
12.7
30.2
National
State highway
New roads
12.0
18.0
68.2
5.1
15.6
96.5
-
5.0
226.9
-
16.8
158.9
Pavement
National
State highway
rehabilitation
285.0
231.1
274.0
182.0
118.5
72.3
115.3
154.0
138.3
114.5
120.1
100.8
National
State highway
Resurfacing
2053.0
2402.9
2185.0
1592.0
1071.5
1167.3
1596.5
2141.6
1975.6
1733.3
2118.5
1988.1
Road
-
National
State highway
reconstruction
21.0
-
38.0
2.7
2.8
-
73.4
177.0
38.1
-
42.6
14.3
National
State highway
Seal extension
4.0
1.0
* Figures have been rounded to 1 decimal point
Key
Works
Details
New roads
The construction of a new road or road link that is additional to the existing road network, including any associated
new road structures.
Road reconstruction
Improvements to or upgrading of existing roads
Seal extension
The sealing of existing unsealed roads.
Resurfacing
Renewals based on Resurfacing of Reseals
Unsealed road metalling Renewals based on Unsealed road metalling
Rehabilitation
Renewals based on Rehabilitation (Pavement rehabilitation, Area wide pavement treatment, Pavement smoothing)
Source:
Number and length of roads built, reconstructed or seal extended
3
