The Transport Minister Michael Wood admits some transport routes may need to be abandoned as a result of climate change, and the more extreme weather it will bring.
Last week, RNZ revealed Waka Kotahi has, until recently, not been factoring climate change and the need for resilience into its transport projects.
The agency was said to be swamped by the need to respond to crisis.
A report into Waka Kotahi's resilience found more than 350 risks to the national roading network - 38 of which are extreme risks.
In Thursday's Budget, the government dedicated $6 billion to transport resilience, a fund that will be used to proactively improve transport infrastructure and better prepare it for climate change.
Transport Minister Michael Wood told Morning Report's Ben Strang the fund would start to tackle a long-ignored issue.