State Highway 76 | ||||
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Route information | ||||
Maintained by NZ Transport Agency | ||||
Length: | 17.8 km (11.1 mi) | |||
Major junctions | ||||
East end: | SH 74/Christchurch–Lyttelton Motorway near Christchurch | |||
West end: | SH 1 at Hornby, Christchurch | |||
Location | ||||
Primary destinations: |
Christchurch | |||
Highway system | ||||
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State Highway 76 (SH 76) is a state highway in Christchurch, New Zealand. This highway was gazetted in 2012 after stage 1 of the Christchurch Southern Motorway was completed. Beforehand, much of SH 76 was part of SH 73 and included the former two-lane Christchurch Arterial Motorway, which was upgraded to four lanes. SH 76 includes the entire length of the Christchurch Southern Motorway and forms the most direct route from the south of Christchurch to the city centre and Lyttelton.
The highway currently begins at a grade separated intersection with SH 74 on the northern approach to the Lyttelton road tunnel. It travels east to west through suburban Christchurch via Port Hills Road, Opawa Road and Brougham Street. This section of road used to be part of SH 73 and the speed limit is mostly 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph). At the western end of Brougham Street at the Collins Street/Simeon Street lights, the Christchurch Southern Motorway commences. The speed limit here is 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph). Midway up the motorway is the Curletts Road interchange, a major interchange where two state highways commence: SH 75 to Akaroa via Banks Peninsula and SH 73 to the West Coast via Arthur's Pass.