State Highway 85 (New Zealand)

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State Highway 85
"The Pigroot."
Route information
Maintained by NZ Transport Agency
Length	165 km (103 mi)
Major junctions
West end	SH 8 (Dunorling Street/Centennial Avenue) in Alexandra, New Zealand
East end	SH 1 (Ronaldsay Street) at Palmerston
Location
Country	New Zealand
Primary destinations	Omakau, Ranfurly, Dunback
Highway system
New Zealand state highways Motorways and expressways List
← SH 84 → SH 86

State Highway 85 (SH 85) is a South Island state highway in New Zealand, servicing the Maniototo Plains and the North and Central Otago regions of the South Island between the major settlements of Alexandra and Palmerston. It is wholly two lane and passes through some of the most extreme climatic regions in New Zealand. The highway is known colloquially as "The Pigroot".^[1] The name comes from the Pigroot Hotel, the only building in the town of Pigroot, where travellors stayed during the 1870's to 1880's. Officially named the "Halfway House", but colloquially known as the Pigroot Hotel, it was run by the proprietors John and Isabella Freeland. Today, the Pigroot Creek Bridge which runs over the Shag River is the only reminder of this town.^[2][3]