For its entire length, SH 27 is a single carriageway road with one lane in each direction and at-grade intersections and property access. The New Zealand Transport Agency classifies the highway as an arterial route.[1]
Traffic at Kaihere increased by 31%, from an average of 3,965 vehicles a day in 2008, to 5,182 in 2017[2] and 5,467 in 2019.[3] In 2017 982 (19%) of those were heavy vehicles, mainly trucks.[2]
The road was gravelled[4][5] and classified as No.19 Main Highway in 1926.[6]