New Zealand government unveils plan for two tunnels to ease Wellington traffic congestion

The New Zealand government has announced a plan to reduce traffic congestion in Wellington, featuring two new tunnels and upgrades at the Basin Reserve. The first tunnel will be 0.7 km under Mount Victoria, and the second will be 0.5 km parallel to the existing Terrace Tunnel. This plan replaces a previous proposal for a longer 4 km tunnel. The upgrades aim to cut southbound traffic by 30% and improve travel times by about 10 minutes for commuters traveling to key destinations like the airport and CBD. The project will be managed by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and will be implemented in stages. A detailed investment case is expected to be presented to the NZTA Board by mid-2025.