Work on the final three sections of the Waikato Expressway will get underway this year, after receiving the go-ahead from the NZ Transport Agency board.

The board has approved $1.08 billion to fund construction of the Hamilton and Longswamp sections of the expressway.

The final stage of the Waikato Expressway is about to get underway.

The Transport Agency also expects to announce the successful tenderer for the $458million Huntly section this month.

The TA's Waikato and Bay of Plenty regional director Harry Wilson says the green light from the board meant that all seven sections of the expressway will be built, be under construction or put out to tender by the end of 2015.

The Waikato Expressway is one of seven Roads of National Significance (RoNS) identified by the government as key to unlocking New Zealand's potential for economic growth.

'The expressway is a vital piece of infrastructure which will cut travel times between Auckland and Tirau by up to 35 minutes,” says Harry.

'It will significantly improve safety by preventing serious crashes, increase highway capacity and make a major contribution to our country's economic growth.

'The announcement is a significant step forward for the project. It is the culmination of ongoing work and collaboration between the Transport Agency, the Waikato local and regional councils and key partners such as Waikato Tainui.

'After many years of dedication and commitment from the region's leaders, we are on the verge of finishing this exciting project. It will be exciting to watch the final sections of the Waikato Expressway take shape.”

Harry says the 21.8km Hamilton section and the 15.2km Huntly sections were the largest and most complex sections of the expressway, and would also bring the biggest benefits in terms of travel time savings and safety.

'Work on the Huntly section is expected to begin in September,” he adds, 'and we will start the tender process on the other two sections over the next eight months.

'These projects will create jobs locally with the employment of sub-contractors and provide a flow-on effect for local businesses, which is great news for our region.”

Multi-party funding agreements for the Hamilton section are being finalised between the Transport Agency, Waikato District Council, Hamilton City Council and Tainui Group Holdings.

The agreements outline how the interchanges will connect to the local road network, particularly around Ruakura and Rototuna, to deliver an effective transport system which supports growth and development.