South end: SH 3 at Otorohanga Length 65.5 km | Primary
destinations: Whatawhata, Pirongia | |
North end: SH 1 at Te Rapa, Hamilton | ||
State Highway 39 (SH 39) is a New Zealand state highway that forms a western bypass of the city of Hamilton. Gazetted in 1999, it is a generally quicker route to get between Auckland and New Plymouth as well as connecting to the Waitomo Caves, just south of the SH 39 southern terminus. The southernmost 14 km section has a concurrency with SH 31, as this highway has existed for much longer (SH 31 continues west to Kawhia).
Contents
Map of State Highway 39, Waikato, New Zealand
Route
SH 39 begins at SH 1 on the Te Rapa section of the Waikato Expressway at Koura Drive, just north of the city of Hamilton. It veers south briefly before reaching a roundabout junction where it follows Te Kowhai Road westbound, eventually changing to Limmer Road. At the intersection of Horotiu Road SH 39 veers south (the northbound road formed the previous SH 39 route) until the intersection with SH 23 at Whatawhata. It shares a brief concurrency, turning left into SH 23, then immediately right back onto SH 39 southbound. Following Kakaramea Road, the highway passed through Ngahinapouri then the township of Pirongia. After Pironga the state highway intersects SH 31 to Kawhia. For the final 14 km the road is jointly designated SH 31 and SH 39 before terminating in the town of Otorohanga with SH 3.
Previous Route
SH 39's northern terminus has changed. In 2013 after the completion of the Waikato Expressway, Ngaruawahia Section, SH 1 used to travel through Ngaruawahia further north than currently. After the expressway was completed, the Waikato Expressway become the new SH 1. As the expressway is a faster route, SH 39 was diverted away from Ngaruawahia to its current terminus at Te Rapa. The current route was temporarily designated SH 39A whilst it was being upgraded to highway status and in June 2014 this section become SH 39 and the old section revoked.