NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA): current plans for Queenstown

Position as at 19 October 2026. Every figure is cited to a document ID in the evidence base, with the page number. Page numbers are PDF page numbers unless marked "printed".

Overview

NZTA owns and manages the state highways through the Whakatipu Basin: SH6 (Kawarau Rd, Frankton–Ladies Mile Highway) and SH6A (Frankton Rd). It also co-funds QLDC and ORC transport activities through the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF). Its current work in Queenstown has two parts:

1. The Queenstown Package (Kā Huanui a Tāhuna). This is the construction programme at Frankton, at the SH6/Howards Dr intersection and at the Pūāhuru walking and cycling bridge, delivered by an alliance of NZTA, QLDC, Beca, WSP, Downer and Fulton Hogan [QTS-164 p.1–2].
2. The Queenstown Strategic Network Plan (QSNP). This is a 30-year, phased plan for the state highway network, published in August 2026 [QTS-130] and released by the Minister of Transport on 6 October 2026 [QTS-138].

Queenstown Strategic Network Plan: NZTA governance, June to August 2026 (released under OIA-23524)

As at 19 Oct 2026

NZTA released these records on 16 October 2026 under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA-23524) [QTS-226]. They record how the Queenstown Strategic Network Plan moved through NZTA's committees and Board between June and August 2026.

Differences between the documents

• Gondola wording. The June pre-read and slides (QTS-218 p.8, QTS-220 p.6) say "Long term: Offline PT (e.g. gondola) is the only remaining viable option" for Frankton to Town Centre. The August Board paper (QTS-223 p.2) says an off-line public transport system will be required and "The QSNP is agnostic to the technology". The technical memo (QTS-221) says the plan "does not specify a preferred technology, alignment or operating model". The Board minute (QTS-225) records "various alternative proposals, including gondolas" and NZTA's approach "to get ready to participate in the assessment of the gondola proposals".
• Visitor-growth impact. The same 0.5% a year reduction is costed differently. The June pre-read gives an NPV of $5.4b over 40 years (QTS-218 p.5). The August paper and summary give $3.9b NPV over 40 years (QTS-223 p.2; QTS-224).
• Cost ranges. The technical memo and Board paper give about $1.4–2.6b capital over 30 years (QTS-221; QTS-223 p.2, plus $11m–$25m a year PT opex). The committee minutes and the summary give $1.5–2.5b (QTS-222 p.3; QTS-224 p.5). Within the memo, the offline public transport spine is indicatively $500m–1.0bn.
• Corridor protection. The QSNP summary lists "Protect future high-capacity corridors" as an implementation action (QTS-224 p.3). The OIA response states "there has been no consideration to protecting or designating corridors" (QTS-226 p.6), and that new delivery, funding and financing approaches "have not been investigated".

NZUP Queenstown Package, 2020–2024

Records from 2020 to 2024 (QTS-210 to QTS-217) and the OIA response (QTS-226) set out the NZ Upgrade Programme Queenstown Package. QTS-226 pp.4–5 gives the $250m budget as:

The letter says $107.6m was the compilation of individual activity costs (QTS-210), $115m the original allocation including NZTA indirect costs, and $130m after a $15m escalation allocation. It also says the mass rapid transit gondola was not part of the NZUP Queenstown Package.

Benefits Realisation Plan targets (QTS-217 p.2; 2024 baseline to 2030 target):

Records in this release

• Optioneering technical memo (QTS-221)
• QSNP summary attachment (QTS-224)
• Board minute endorsing the QSNP (QTS-225)
• Value, Outcomes & Scope Committee minutes (QTS-222)
• Board workshop pre-read pack (QTS-218)
• Board workshop slides (QTS-220)
• Board paper for endorsement (QTS-223)
• NZTA OIA-23524 response (QTS-226)

1. Queenstown Package (under construction)

Budget history

Scope

The original design scope had seven items, (a) to (g). The OIA response says: "While all the above were designed, only items a, b, and c were funded to progress to construction in 2024. Robust cost estimates have not been developed for the elements that have not progressed to construction." [QTS-113 p.2]

Progress and timing

As at Oct 2026

Overall programme

• Construction is expected to take four years and is "1/3 of the way through" [QTS-164].
• Phase 3 runs from winter 2026 to summer 2027, and Phase 4 from summer 2027 to spring 2028. Phase 5 (spring to winter 2028) is "whole intersection operational" (NZTA construction phases (opens in new tab), accessed 18 Oct 2026).
• ORC reports the Frankton works are "forecast to be completed in mid-2028, doubling the Hub's capacity" [QTS-151 p.266].

Frankton intersection and Bus Hub

• Temporary roundabout: a temporary roundabout at the SH6/6A intersection was planned for around March 2026, so the northern side of the highway could be rebuilt [QTS-140 p.6].
• Bus Hub: the new southern end was scheduled to become operational in about May 2026 [QTS-140 p.7]. It opened on 25 June 2026 (NZTA Journey Planner bulletin, 25 Jun 2026).
• Electricity cabling: 6,429m of 6,464m was complete by December 2025 [QTS-140 p.2].
• Works in August 2026: the Frankton Village carpark (903 sq m), and kerb and channel work towards the Hansen Rd link [QTS-141 p.2, p.4].
• Hansen Rd link: due to open in October 2026, when the end of the current Hansen Rd becomes a cul-de-sac [QTS-141 p.4].

SH6/Howards Dr

• The intersection "is being rebuilt as traffic signals": a four-leg signalised intersection with 150m of shared path. The speed limit is 50km/h for the "18 month construction period", and the notice is captioned "Visualisations upon completion early 2028" [QTS-143 p.1].
• The project page says main construction starts in mid 2026, will take about 18 months, and the new intersection "is expected to be in place by summer 2027/28" [QTS-163].
• The Minister's release confirms signalisation and "a fourth leg… to help accommodate much-needed housing" [QTS-138].

Pūāhuru walking and cycling bridge

• Funding and contract: $12.6m approved; contract awarded to the Kā Huanui a Tāhuna alliance; completion by the end of 2027 [QTS-147].
• Design: a single span of about 51.7m with a 3m shared path, connecting Jim's Way and Ferry Hill Dr to Hardware Lane. QLDC will improve crossings at Tucker Beach Rd, Hawthorne Dr and Grant Rd. (NZTA Pūāhuru bridge (opens in new tab), accessed 18 Oct 2026)
• Early works: soil nailing is under way (about six months, up to 70 nails), with a temporary 50km/h limit over 1.2km [QTS-141 p.5].
• Traffic: SH6 at this point carries about 27,000 vehicles per day [QTS-147].

2. Queenstown Strategic Network Plan (QTS-130, August 2026)

Phasing and cost bands [QTS-130 p.44]

The plan's indicative cost bands are: $ = <$10m; $$ = $10–99m; $$$ = $100–249m; $$$$ = $250–999m; $$$$$ = $1bn+.

Staged programme (Figure 16) [QTS-130 p.44]

• Stage 1: (1) Frankton Flats bus priority and active modes; (2) intersection and capacity upgrades at Frankton Flats.
• Stage 2: (3) Ladies Mile intersections; (4) Ladies Mile bus priority and active modes; (5) Southern Corridor intersections and bus priority; (6) SH6A active modes and bus stops; (7) town centre bus hub; (8) park and ride; (9) SH6A intersections.
• Stage 3: (10) Frankton–Queenstown offline public transport; (11) Frankton–Ladies Mile offline public transport; (12) a new Kawarau River crossing (road or offline public transport); (13) capacity upgrades on the Southern Corridor.

Selected activities from the corridor tables [QTS-130 Tables 11–15, pp.45–54]

Other parts of the plan

• Non-state-highway activities: these include replacing Edith Cavell Bridge [QTS-130 Table 16, p.55].
• Alternative funding: set out in Table 17 [QTS-130 p.56].
• Funding responsibility: the plan notes this is not allocated activity by activity [QTS-130 p.42].
• Role in investment: the QSNP is the primary input to the State Highway Investment Proposal and the NLTP [QTS-130 p.57].

Immediate next steps, QSNP Table 19 [QTS-130 pp.58–59]

3. Minister of Transport's release, 6 October 2026 [QTS-138]

Growth and outcomes

• Peak-day population is expected to grow from about 83,000 (2025) to about 143,000 (2055).
• The release sets three core outcomes: make best use of existing infrastructure; move more people in less space, "including buses and gondolas or cable cars"; and actively manage demand.

Early priorities

• Frankton Flats intersection, capacity and bus priority.
• Ladies Mile and Southern Corridor upgrades.
• Town centre bus hub improvements.
• Walking and cycling connections.
• Replacing Edith Cavell Bridge.

Longer term

• The release says longer-term projects "may include 'offline high-capacity public transport', such as the gondolas or cable cars, with several private sector proposals already under discussion."
• An additional Kawarau River crossing is proposed in the longer term.

Edith Cavell Bridge: NZTA is in discussions with QLDC on replacing the bridge, "with funding to be considered in due course".

Use of the QSNP: it will feed into regional land transport and public transport plans, into QLDC's Mayoral Transport Taskforce, and into consideration for the 2027–30 NLTP.

4. Funding documents in force

NLTP 2024–27 (QTS-098)

• Public transport services: the $136m of PT service improvements includes "$5 million for Queenstown" [QTS-098 p.29].
• Otago entries: these list the Queenstown Package (Road of Regional Significance), covering SH6A corridor improvements, the SH6 and 6A Frankton intersection improvements and SH6 improvements including a bus hub. They also list resilience works on SH6 Cromwell–Frankton and Frankton–Kingston [QTS-098 p.79].
• Shepherds Hut Creek culvert, Queenstown: $2.176m [QTS-098 p.20].

Otago Southland RLTP 2021–31, mid-term review 2024 (QTS-148; in force until the RLTP 2027–37 replaces it)

• SH6 Frankton Flats network improvements: property $5.3m in each of 2025/26 and 2026/27; implementation $32.7m (2026/27) and $98.1m over 2024–30. This "supports NZUP Queenstown package i.e. KFB to Ross St and Hansen Road to Hardware Lane corridor improvements" [QTS-148 p.71].
• Stanley St Corridor Improvements (NZTA): pre-implementation $1.308m, property $2.12m and implementation $35.098m over 10 years [QTS-148 p.81]. Regional priority 11 [QTS-148 p.71].
• NZTA low-cost, low-risk PT infrastructure: $650k a year, $1.95m over 2024–27 [QTS-148 p.79].
• "SH6/6A Queenstown Offline High Capacity PT IMP": this was "removed from the State Highway Investment Proposal 2024–34 due to other priorities set out in the GPS and the likelihood of obtaining funding in the next three years". It had been ranked #2, and the RTCs record that they "are disappointed that this project has been removed" [QTS-148 p.79].

5. Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal: NZTA commitments (signed 6 October 2026, QTS-139)

As at 6 Oct 2026

Outcome 7, Reliable Transport [QTS-139 pp.24–26]

• NZTA will progress the Whakatipu Strategic Network Plan initiatives: offline mass rapid transit alongside bus; second Kawarau and Shotover crossings; and time-of-use charging, parking and demand management.
• NZTA will work with QLDC on funding, financing and procurement tools, and will take the RLTP prioritisation into account.
• The deal sets out an Otago Central Lakes Transport Network Plan.
• The deal names priority projects: the Ladies Mile/Howards Dr intersection, expansion of Frankton Flats, and the next stage of PT upgrades.
• The deal states that GPS 2027 will reflect the deal's priorities, and that the GPS 2027 PT activity class definitions will not exclude offline mass rapid transit or ropeways.

No new Crown money in the first three years: "during the first three years… no additional funding is expected to be made available under Central Government Budgets" [QTS-139 p.5, cl.2.1(d)].

Next steps as stated by NZTA

1. Finish the Queenstown Package. Frankton intersection fully operational in the Phase 5 window, spring to winter 2028 (construction phases page). Howards Dr signals in place by summer 2027/28 [QTS-163]. Pūāhuru bridge complete by the end of 2027 [QTS-147].
2. Turn the QSNP into fundable activity packages. Convert the strategic response "into fundable, consentable and deliverable activity packages" through RLTPs, State Highway Investment Proposals, NLTPs and business cases. "A critical next step is to agree the funding, financing, governance and delivery pathway for the programme." Initial development is to "focus on foundation and enabling activities" [QTS-130 p.58]. Table 19 items "don't constitute investment recommendations" [QTS-130 p.58].
3. Progress the Table 19 immediate actions listed above [QTS-130 pp.58–59].
4. Consider the QSNP for the 2027–30 NLTP [QTS-138]. The RLTP 2027–37 must be submitted to NZTA by the end of June 2027 [QTS-115].
5. Keep discussing Edith Cavell Bridge replacement with QLDC, "with funding to be considered in due course" [QTS-138].