Resilience work underway for key South Island route
New Zealand allocates $150 million to upgrade five vulnerable South Island highways, with work starting on State Highway 94 between Te Anau and Milford to improve resilience and reduce disruptions.
The New Zealand Government has announced that resilience upgrades will soon begin on State Highway 94 (SH94) between Te Anau and Milford, a critical route for tourism access to Milford Sound. The work is part of a $150 million-plus package allocated to strengthen five vulnerable state highways across the South Island. SH94 is the sole land route to Milford Sound, New Zealand’s top natural tourist attraction, which is expected to receive nearly one million visitors in 2024.
Construction will start at Pop’s Corner/View Lookout, a busy tourist stop, where the roadway will be widened and rock used to reinforce the road shoulder against erosion from the Eglinton River. Nearby, at Marian Hill, rock anchors and a concrete slab will be installed to stabilize an existing retaining wall supporting SH94, addressing movement that has compromised the highway over time.
Additional work will follow at six more sites along SH94, with further upgrades planned for other high-risk highways including State Highway 60 (Tākaka Hill), State Highway 6 (Cromwell to Kingston), and State Highway 6 (Haast to Hāwea). These routes face risks such as rockfall, slips, flooding, and washouts that can isolate communities, disrupt tourism, and hinder freight transport.
The $150 million investment aims to reduce disruptions for local communities, provide greater certainty for businesses, improve freight reliability, and ensure better access for visitors. The funding is part of a record 42 percent increase in road funding for the South Island under the 2024-27 National Land Transport Plan, reflecting the government’s focus on infrastructure resilience.