State Highway 31 (New Zealand)

State Highway 31 (SH 31) is a New Zealand state highway in the Waikato region. It provides a link to the harbour town of Kawhia on the west coast of the North Island.

State Highway 31 shield}}
State Highway 31
SH31 near Te Kauri Lodge
Route information
Maintained by NZ Transport Agency
Length56.4 km (35.0 mi)
Major junctions
East end SH 3 (Maniapoto Street) at Ōtorohanga
Major intersections SH 39 north (Ormsby Road) at Tihiroa
West endPouewe Street in Kawhia
Location
CountryNew Zealand
Highway system
← SH 30→ SH 32

Route description

SH 31 route begins at SH 3 in Ōtorohanga. The first section of this route is a joint designation with SH 39. SH 31/SH 39 initially travels north-west along Kawhia Road. After 14 km and just after the locality of Tihiroa the highway meets a junction where SH 39 carries on north and SH 31 turns sharply west, staying on Kawhia Road. The road from here on is extremely windy and treachourous, having in 2012 been assessed as the state highway with the highest personal risk.[1] SH 31 eventually reaches Pouewe Street in Kawhia where it terminates.

It was classified as a state highway on 1 April 1948.[2]

Major intersections
Territorial authorityLocationkmjctDestinationsNotes
Ōtorohanga DistrictŌtorohanga SH 3 north – Hamilton
SH 3 south – New Plymouth		SH 31 begins
SH 31/SH 39 concurrency begins
Tihiroa SH 39 north – Pirongia, NgāruawāhiaSH 31/SH 39 concurrency ends
KawhiaRaglan Road – Raglan
Pouewe StreetSH 31 ends

History

In 1885 the road crossing the river was only 6 ft (2 m) wide at Ōpārau.[3] From about 1900 a coach ran for passengers between Kawhia and Te Awamutu,[4] with a launch between Kawhia and Ōpārau.[5] Ōpārau Ferry Bridge opened in 1913.[6] In 1924 a 52 ft (16 m) concrete bridge was built over the Ōpārau to carry what is now SH 31.[7] Metalling of the road was completed in 1926.[8]

See also

References
  1. "New Zealand's riskiest roads revealed". NZ Herald. 22 November 2012.
  2. "AtoJs Online — Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives — 1949 Session I — D-01 MINISTRY OF WORKS STATEMENT (BY THE HON. R. SEMPLE, MINISTER OF WORKS)". atojs.natlib.govt.nz. p. 70. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  3. "TO KAWHIA ON WHEELS. WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 24 February 1885. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  4. "TE AWAMUTU. WAIKATO ARGUS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 7 July 1900. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  5. "KAWHIA. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 19 December 1902. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  6. "KAWHIA COUNTY COUNCIL. KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 28 May 1913. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  7. "OTOROHANGA NEWS. WAIPA POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 9 October 1924. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  8. "LOCAL AND GENERAL. WAIPA POST". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 27 April 1926. Retrieved 9 May 2021.


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