State Highway 31 (New Zealand)

Road in New Zealand

State Highway 31

Route information
Maintained by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
Length| 56.4 km (35.0 mi)
Major junctions
East end|  SH 3 (Maniapoto Street) at Ōtorohanga
Major intersections|  SH 39 north (Ormsby Road) at Tihiroa
West end| Pouewe Street in Kawhia
Location
Country| New Zealand
Highway system

* New Zealand state highways

* Motorways and expressways
* List

| ←  SH 30| | →  SH 32

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|

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.

## Route description

[edit]

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

[edit]

The entire route is within Ōtorohanga District.

Territorial authority| Location| km| mi| Destinations| Notes

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|
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Ōtorohanga District| Ōtorohanga| | |  SH 3 north – Hamilton
SH 3 south – New Plymouth| SH 31 begins
SH 31/SH 39 concurrency begins
Tihiroa| | |  SH 39 north – Pirongia, Ngāruawāhia| SH 31/SH 39 concurrency ends
Kawhia| | | Raglan Road – Raglan|
| | Pouewe Street| SH 31 ends

*       Concurrency terminus

## History

[edit]

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

[edit]

* List of New Zealand state highways

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "New Zealand's riskiest roads revealed". The New Zealand 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.

## External links

[edit]

* New Zealand Transport Agency

* v
* t
* e

New Zealand state highways

* List of New Zealand state highways
* List of motorways and expressways in New Zealand

National|

* SH 1 (incl. SH 1B, SH 1C)
* SH 2
* SH 3 (incl. SH 3A)
* SH 4
* SH 5
* SH 6 (incl. SH 6A)
* SH 7 (incl. SH 7A)
* SH 8 (incl. SH 8A, SH 8B)

North Island|

* SH 10
* SH 11
* SH 12
* SH 14
* SH 15
* SH 16
* SH 18
* SH 19
* SH 20 (incl. SH 20A, SH 20B)
* SH 21
* SH 22
* SH 23
* SH 24
* SH 25 (incl. SH 25A)
* SH 26
* SH 27
* SH 28
* SH 29 (incl. SH 29A)
* SH 30 (incl. SH 30A)
* SH 31
* SH 32
* SH 33
* SH 34
* SH 35
* SH 36
* SH 37
* SH 38
* SH 39
* SH 41
* SH 43
* SH 44
* SH 45
* SH 46
* SH 47
* SH 48
* SH 49
* SH 50
* SH 51
* SH 53
* SH 54
* SH 56
* SH 57
* SH 58
* SH 59

South Island|

* SH 60
* SH 62
* SH 63
* SH 65
* SH 67 (incl. SH 67A)
* SH 69
* SH 71
* SH 73
* SH 74 (incl. SH 74A)
* SH 75
* SH 76
* SH 77
* SH 78
* SH 79
* SH 80
* SH 82
* SH 83
* SH 84
* SH 85
* SH 86
* SH 87
* SH 88
* SH 90
* SH 93
* SH 94
* SH 95
* SH 96
* SH 97
* SH 98
* SH 99

Former state highways|

* SH 1A
* SH 1F
* SH 2A
* SH 2B
* SH 15
* SH 15A
* SH 17
* SH 36
* SH 40
* SH 47A
* SH 49A
* SH 50A
* SH 52
* SH 57A
* SH 61
* SH 70
* SH 72
* SH 73A
* SH 89
* SH 91
* SH 92

Touring routes|

* Twin Coast Discovery Highway
* Thermal Explorer Highway
* Pacific Coast Highway
* Classic New Zealand Wine Trail
* Alpine Pacific Triangle
* Great Alpine Highway
* Foothills Scenic Route
* Inland Scenic Route
* Central Otago Touring Route
* Southern Scenic Route

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