New Zealand State Highway 54

State Highway 54
Route information
Maintained by New Zealand Transport Agency
Length:	56.5 km (35.1 mi)
Major junctions
South end:	SH 3 at Newbury, 4.5km north of Palmerston North
North end:	SH 1 at Vinegar Hill, 6km north of Hunterville
Location
Towns:	Feilding, Cheltenham
Highway system
New Zealand state highways Motorways and expressways List Unused ← x20px SH 53 SH 56 x20px →

State Highway 54 (SH 54) is a New Zealand state highway in the Manawatu district in the North Island. It runs from SH 3 at Newbury to SH 1 near Hunterville. This highway connects the Manawatu agricultural town of Feilding as well as forming an alternative route to travel from the Central North Island volcanic plateau to the city of Palmerston North.

Route

SH 54 begins at SH 3, 4.5 km north of Palmerston North and travels north on Kairanga-Bunnythorpe Road then west onto Milson Line and north again onto Camerons Line before making a sharp left turn onto Waughs Road. After a short distance SH 54 enters the town of Feilding. At a roundabout in the centre of the town, SH 54 turns sharp north-east onto Kimbolton Road and leaves Feilding travelling in a general north direction to Cheltenham. Here the highway diverts left and winds up the Rangitikei Valley, crossing the Rangitikei River and ascends on a windy route to terminate with SH 1 at Vinegar Hill.

History

Instead of diverting left at Cheltenham, SH 54 used to carry on through the town of Kimbolton on a much longer route, eventually terminating with SH 1 further north at Mangaweka. In the 1990s SH 54 was shifted to its current route.