State Highway 54 (New Zealand)

State Highway 54 (SH 54) is a New Zealand state highway linking SH 1 south of Bulls to SH 56 near Feilding in the Manawatu-Whanganui region of the North Island. It provides an alternative route for traffic travelling between these two state highways, bypassing the town of Palmerston North.

The highway is approximately 28 kilometers (17 miles) in length. It travels primarily in a north-easterly direction through rural farmland. The route is mostly flat and straight, with few major intersections.

Key settlements along SH 54 include Cheltenham and Āpiti. The highway is generally maintained to a good standard, though it carries less traffic than the main arterial routes in the region.

SH 54 provides important local connectivity for rural communities, allowing access to larger towns and cities for commerce, services, and travel. It also serves as a bypass route, alleviating congestion on SH 1 and SH 56 during peak periods or road closures.