Palmerston North is a significant road and rail junction. As such, it is an important distribution hub for the lower North Island, with many freight distribution centres based here.
Road
The city's main roads are arranged in a grid pattern. The streets of significance are Rangitikei Street, which is the main portal to and from the north. Main Street, the main east-west thoroughfare (broken into east and west arms by The Square). Fitzherbert Avenue, the main portal to and from the south, crossing the Fitzherbert Bridge, the only bridge over the Manawatu River close to the city. (The other bridge is Napier Road in Ashhurst, 14 km (9 mi) away.) These four streets meet at the Square.
Heavy vehicles are prohibited in the Square and an inner city ring road exists for such traffic. Grey Street, Princess Street, Ferguson Street, Pitt Street, Bourke Street andWalding Street make up this ring road.
State Highway 3 (SH3) is the main State Highway in Palmerston North. SH3 enters the city from the north-west as Rangitikei Street, before turning left into Grey Street, north of the Square. The highway continues along Princess Street to Main Street, where it continues eastwards as it exits Palmerston North towards Ashhurst and the Manawatu Gorge asNapier Road.
Milson Line and Railway Road are alternative north entries from Feilding and rural northern Manawatu.
Pioneer Highway is the main western portal for traffic from State Highway 1, Foxton, Levin and Shannon.
State Highway 1, New Zealand's main highway, passes about 25 km (16 mi) to the west of the city.
Bicycle
Palmerston North is perceived as being better for cycling than most New Zealand cities, with 2001 figures putting it a close second only to Blenheim in terms of bicycle modal share. However, there has been a large decline in bicycle use, falling steadily from 13% of all commuting trips in 1986 to 5.42% in 2006, significantly faster than
