The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and Auckland Transport (AT) have teamed-up to examine potential improvements that can be implemented in future at the Hill Street intersection in Warkworth.

As part of the investigation, both transport authorities will look into the design options and study the future form of the intersection once other significant road projects in the area have been completed in the coming years.

These projects will also include the Puhoi to Warkworth motorway.

Auckland Transport North and West delivery manager David Nelson said: "The work will examine designs that have been developed by Auckland Transport, as well as those submitted by the community and will take into account the changes in traffic flows that will result from the completion of Matakana Link Road and the Puhoi to Warkworth Road of National Significance in 2021."

Nelson further explained that changes to the intersection will be implemented after the completion of alternative routes to State Highway 1.

"Within five years, this region will have a world-class motorway to improve transport choices."

New Zealand Transport Agency Auckland and Northland regional director Ernst Zollner said: “Within five years, this region will have a world-class motorway to improve transport choices in the region and which is expected to remove many of the current traffic frustrations.

“The completion of the NZ$700m ($487m) Puhoi to Warkworth project will provide an alternative route bypassing Warkworth, easing a significant proportion of the existing pressures on the Hill Street intersection.

“These investigations are a step towards ensuring that if any further improvements are required at Hill Street after 2021, we are in the best position to be able to get them under way.”

Zollner further added that there is a need to improve links in Warkworth in order to meet the expected future growth over the next three decades.

Currently, work is being carried out on the Auckland Transport’s link road between Matakana Road and State Highway 1.

The highway authority will finalise the preferred option for the in August after completing public consultation later this month.

The new road will also align with Auckland Transport’s Warkworth Western Collector route, which will be a three-stage to improve the road connectivity to the west of the state highway.

The first stage of the western collector route was opened last month connecting Mansel Drive to Falls Road.

The route of other two stages has not been finalised, but it would be connecting State Highway, near McKinney Road in the south and the Hudson Road intersection in the north.