About this Project

Project Overview

The Wellington Inner City Bypass (the Bypass) is a new and improved route between the Terrace Tunnel and the Basin Reserve. To provide this route, existing roads will be used and 700 metres of new road will be built.

The Bypass is not a motorway. It will be one-way, two-laned, street at ground level, with dedicated turning lanes, intersections controlled by traffic lights, and a 50km/h speed limit up to Willis Street. From the Willis Street/Abel Smith Street intersection to the Terrace Tunnel, the new road will be lowered to take traffic beneath Vivian Street and the speed limit will increase to 80km/h.

Ghuznee Street and Taranaki Street will no longer be a state highway. Ghuznee Street will return to a two-way, city street, and Taranaki Street will be free to permit further public transport options.

More than one kilometre of new footpath and cycleway will be built, and extensive landscaping and urban design will be carried out.

The Bypass will:
- Mainly use existing streets
- Be two lanes wide
- Be at ground level
- Have dedicated turning lanes
- Have intersections controlled by traffic lights
- Have a 50km/h speed limit (until just past the Willis Street intersection, heading north, where the speed limit will increase to 80km/h and the road will be gradually lowered beneath Vivian Street).

The Bypass is also an important component of the Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Regional Land Transport Strategy as it will assist with the necessary reduction in traffic pressure on the central city street network, as well as facilitate several pedestrian and public transport projects.

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Description of the Route

Northbound motorists (coming from the Basin Reserve) will travel up Buckle Street, and instead of turning right down Taranaki Street, will head straight up Arthur Street. At the end of Arthur Street there will be 700 metres of new road built to take vehicles into the Terrace Tunnel. This is known as 'The Bypass'.

Southbound motorists (coming from the Terrace Tunnel) will no longer zigzag through Ghuznee, Taranaki and Vivian Streets, but will instead come out of the Terrace Tunnel and head straight down Vivian Street until they reach the intersection of Kent Terrace.

Project Timeframes

Construction of the Bypass commenced in January 2005. It is expected that the new northbound route will be open to traffic between Christmas 2006 and February 2007, with the southbound route (Vivian Street) and Ghuznee St reconfigured by mid-2007.

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Cost of the Project

The cost of constructing the Bypass is $39.9 million. The contract cost includes the construction of the new $7 million Te Aro stormwater culvert and close to $1 million of underground service upgrades to be constructed in conjunction with the bypass and funded by the Wellington City Council.

Who’s Involved?

The Wellington Inner City Bypass is a joint construction project between Transit New Zealand and the Wellington City Council. Transit is managing the project.