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Dawn McKenzie-Wykes | profile | all galleries >> Northern Gateway Toll Road, Orewa to Puhoi tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Northern Gateway Toll Road, Orewa to Puhoi

Today Sunday 25th January 2009 the Northern Gateway Toll Road, opened from Orewa (which is north of Auckland) to Puhoi... the toll road, will charge $2.00 per car to travel over it... but today and tomorrow it is free.. over the long Anniversary weekend in Auckland.. so out came the thousands of Aucklanders..for a free look and travel through the tunnels...

We thought we would have a look also, not being too far from where we live..we thought around lunch time there wouldnt be too many people heading north.. but oh oh... we crawled for 1.5 hours only travelling 8 kms...lol... oh well I got to take some photos along the way...we werent in a hurry..but it was very hot around 28 Deg C..

The toll road has taken around 4 years to build, at a cost of $365 million NZ dollars!

Cars paying $2 each way and trucks $3.. its estimated to take 35 years to pay for it!

Most photos taken from our car!
We join the queue..taken through the windowscreen.
We join the queue..taken through the windowscreen.		 Took 1.5 hours to go 8km.
Took 1.5 hours to go 8km.		 Pay up or else.
Pay up or else.		 Did ya see me on Telly.
Did ya see me on Telly.
Bridge to nowhere.
Bridge to nowhere.		 A long hot wait...sitting in car 28 deg C for 1.5 hours
A long hot wait...sitting in car 28 deg C for 1.5 hours		 Entering the Tunnel going north...through car window..
Entering the Tunnel going north...through car window..		 Expensive bridge to nowhere.
Expensive bridge to nowhere.
Opps broken down
Opps broken down		 Another break down... taken from the bridge....
Another break down... taken from the bridge....		 Inside the tunnel going North
Inside the tunnel going North		 High above us...above the motorway
High above us...above the motorway
We flash our lights from the mtrway.she waves.
We flash our lights from the mtrway.she waves.		 Blind shooting...holding camera backwards from front passenger seat as we travel.
Blind shooting...holding camera backwards from front passenger seat as we travel.		 Looking north...taken from Hillcrest Rd overbridge.
Looking north...taken from Hillcrest Rd overbridge.		 Returning from north to south.still they queue.
Returning from north to south.still they queue.

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dane 25-Jan-2009 12:58
excellent photojournalism, Dawn. V
Gary Hoe 25-Jan-2009 10:18
I've seen those tunnel entrances...lol...great shots Dawn...wish I was still sharing the sunshine with you!
Janice Dunn 25-Jan-2009 09:57
Good shots Dawn, and a great record of it all. None of us will ever get to go so slow on it to be able to take photos of it - so well done!!

If you'd known how empty the road south was you should have gone up eh old way and returned on it...

Thank you for sharing this special trip :)
Janice
Helen Evans 25-Jan-2009 09:50
Hi Dawn - a great gallery, lots of fun. Maybe you'd have been better off coming to the seafood festival at Viaduct Harbour instead - it was fantastic! LOL, Helen (Titirangi)
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