Central Motorway Junction facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Central Motorway Junction |
|
|---|---|
| Spaghetti Junction | |
| Location | |
| Auckland CBD, Auckland, New Zealand | |
| Coordinates: | 36°51′37″S 174°45′36″E / 36.860380°S 174.760030°E |
| Roads at junction: |
 SH 1 (Northern Motorway)
 SH 16 (Northwestern Motorway) |
| Construction | |
| Type: | Spaghetti |
| Constructed: | 1969-2006 |
| Opened: | December 2006 |
| Maintained by: | New Zealand Transport Agency |
| Map | |
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The Central Motorway Junction, often called Spaghetti Junction, is a big road intersection in Auckland, New Zealand. It connects State Highway 1 and State Highway 16. This junction is just south of Auckland's city centre.
It's a huge structure with three levels of roads crossing over each other. People sometimes call it a "puzzle" because it's so complex. About 200,000 vehicles use it every day. This makes it one of the busiest roads in New Zealand.
This junction connects three main motorways: the Northern Motorway (SH1), the Southern Motorway (SH1), and the Northwestern Motorway (SH16). It also has many exits to reach Auckland's city centre. It was built in valleys and cut-out areas near the city. Building it in the 1960s and 1970s meant some neighbourhoods had to be removed.
The CMJ works like a mix of a cross-shaped intersection and a ring road around the city. It links directly to all roads. The junction and its related structures go around the Auckland CBD on three sides. The Auckland waterfront forms the fourth side of central Auckland.
Contents
History of the Central Motorway Junction
The Central Motorway Junction (CMJ) was planned in the 1960s. Most of its connections were built in the 1970s. This project was very large. It led to many homes in inner suburbs being bought by the government and then torn down. About 50,000 people had to move from the area. This had a big impact on the nearby Auckland CBD. It also affected the Karangahape Road shopping area, which became less popular for many years. Two Catholic schools, St Benedict's College and St Benedict's School, also had to close.
The CMJ was greatly expanded in the 2000s. The last connections were opened in December 2006. This project cost NZ$208 million. During its construction, the existing motorways had to be closed many times overnight. Traffic was sent onto local roads instead.
How the CMJ Connects Roads
The CMJ links motorways to other motorways. It connects four main routes that spread out from the city centre:
- Auckland Northern Motorway (SH1) connects to and from the North Shore using the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
- Auckland Southern Motorway (SH1) connects to and from the south.
- Northwest Motorway westbound (SH16) connects to and from the west.
- Northwest Motorway eastbound (SH16) connects to and from Ports of Auckland and eastern suburbs.
The very last link, from the Northwest Motorway eastbound to the Auckland Northern Motorway northbound, opened on 19 December 2006. This marked the official completion of the junction. Now, plans have moved further north. The tunnel at the Victoria Park Viaduct is one of the latest big motorway projects in the area.
The CMJ also has exits from SH1 and SH16 that lead to downtown Auckland. It connects to Grafton Gully. This area includes parts of the Northwest Motorway and the Auckland Southern Motorway. There are five other pairs of ramps that give access to the central city.
A special part of the CMJ is under Karangahape Road. Here, 19 lanes of traffic form nine different links. They pass through a cut-out area in the Karangahape ridge. This is a multi-level structure.
Alternative Routes Around Auckland
Auckland has two other major motorways. These are the South-Western Motorway and the Upper Harbour Motorway. They form a continuous road link in the west of the city. These roads offer another way to travel between Manukau and Albany instead of using SH1. The idea is to give drivers an alternative high-speed route. This helps traffic avoid the busy motorways in central Auckland, including the CMJ. This is especially useful for traffic just passing through Auckland or starting/ending in the western suburbs.
Cycle Path Through the CMJ
In November 2009, the NZ Transport Agency looked into a plan. They wanted to extend the Northwestern Cycleway through the CMJ. This would connect it to Symonds Street. The goal was to make it easier for cyclists to get from the west into the Auckland CBD. In mid-2010, it was announced that a path had been chosen. The cycle path would use the Upper Queen Street bridge to cross the motorway.
In 2016, an old off-ramp was changed. It became a special path for walking and cycling. This path extends the Northwestern cycleway to Nelson Street. A new bridge connects Canada Street to this brightly painted and lit off-ramp. It is now known as Lightpath/Te Ara I Whiti.
Why it's Called Spaghetti Junction
The nickname "Spaghetti Junction" comes from a similar road interchange. This is the Gravelly Hill Interchange in Birmingham, UK. It opened in 1972 and was given the nickname "Spaghetti Junction". Many complex road intersections around the world have also been given this same nickname.
Images for kids
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Central Motorway Junction from the Sky Tower
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Southern section of the new CMJ from the Upper Queen Street bridge.
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Looking south on the northern end of the CMJ.
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View over the northern section of the CMJ, showing ramps and links, from Hopetoun Street Bridge
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View southwards from Hopetoun Bridge, showing the three-level structure under K'Road.
