The Government has identified seven roading projects as "nationally significant" in an effort to speed up their construction.
Transport Minister Steven Joyce says the roads are essential routes requiring work to reduce congestion, improve safety and support economic growth.
The roads named today are: Puhoi to Wellsford, completing Auckland's Western Ring Route, the Auckland Victoria Park bottleneck, the Waikato Expressway, the Tauranga Eastern Corridor, the northern corridor between Wellington and Levin and the Christchurch Ring Route.
But despite being identified as "nationally significant" there is no guarantee they will be built within the next 10 years.
There is no overall costing for all seven projects and Mr Joyce says final decisions remain with the Transport Agency.
However, he says the Government has made an extra $4 billion available for State Highway projects over the next 10 years and hopes three-quarters of the projects will be complete by 2019.
The Labour Party says the Government's list of nationally significant roads is a rehash of previous announcements, and will not result in any roads being built faster.
Transport spokesperson Darren Hughes says many of the projects are worthy but the announcement adds nothing new to their prospects.
Mr Hughes says the Government is trying to divert attention from the impact of scrapping the regional fuel tax on Auckland's public transport needs.
