New Zealand - Auckland - Auckland Motorway construction work in Grafton, showing Grafton Road running uphill - 1973 - Williams, Basil Photo AUCKLAND MOTORWAYS - Auckland’s comprehensive motorway network had its genesis in the 1950s. At almost 90 kilometres long, the system contains more than 90 bridges, including the Auckland Harbour Bridge - In the early 1950s traffic was getting very congested in the Greenlane area of the Great South Road. It was decided that the best solution to this problem was to start a motorway system and so the first section of the Southern Motorway was built. This was shortly followed by a motorway causeway from Waterview to Te Atatu opening up the whole of West Auckland. Then with the completion of the Auckland Harbour Bridge the first section of the Northern Motorway was built. - Fortunately the Central City section connecting these three motorways was left for a period and the final design was much better than the original plan as experience in the use of motorways had progressed. The major connections within Grafton and Newton Gullies were completed in the late 1960s and early 1970s followed by extensions to the North West Motorway and further extensions of the Northern and Southern Motorways. (Reference; Wikipedia) ------------------- Image source; Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1727-006 https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/photos/id/88980