Transport Minister Stephen Joyce says Auckland's northern gateway motorway is among six serious bottlenecks slowing the country down.
Mr Joyce said the Waikato expressway, the Tauranga and Eastern motorway, State Highway 1 from Levin to Porirua and some areas on the Christchurch and Auckland motorways all have crippling bottlenecks.
He blames the previous Labour-led government's lack of investment for some of the congested roads, saying it had signed off a 9% reduction in state highway construction over the next three years.
Former Transport Minister Annette King said Labour's funding was fed into a range of transport systems, not just roading.
On Monday, Prime Minister John Key said the traffic congestion on the opening day of the $365 million northern gateway toll road was unsatisfactory.
An estimated 20,000 cars travelled along the road on Sunday, with queues of traffic later in the day turning the 7.5km stretch into an hour-long journey. On Monday, traffic flowed smoothly on the toll road, which bypasses Orewa to State Highway 1 north of Auckland.
However, Mr Key says until there is an extension of at least three lanes through to Warkworth or Wellsford there will continue to be problems.
Stephen Joyce has said he hopes to make an announcement about large roading projects later this year.
Automobile Association general manager of motoring affairs Mike Noon said it will be difficult for the Government to improve roading with the limited money available.
Mr Noon said there are many competing demands, including those for upgrading public transport, however roads take a long time to build and plans need to be made. He would like to be informed of the Government's 20-year roading plan.
