For most of its length, SH 29 is a two-lane single carriageway with occasional passing lanes and slow vehicle bays.

Immediately after it commences, SH 29 becomes the Takitimu Drive (Pyes Pa – Mount Maunganui Expressway) Toll Road.

About a quarter of the way up the Kaimai's, SH 29 passes the Ruahihi Power Station and crosses the Wairoa River.

SH 29 then runs through the Hinuera Gap, which the Waikato River used to flow through until volcanic debris altered its course 20,000 years ago.

In December 2008, the Maungatapu and Welcome Bay roundabouts were signalised in response to rising levels of congestion.

The roundabouts became the first in New Zealand to be permanently signalised,[9] and have been widely considered to be successful at easing congestion.

The highway crosses the East Coast Main Trunk Railway and passes Baypark Stadium.

From here, SH 29A becomes a four lane dual carriageway until just before it crosses the Maungatapu Bridge, past Rangataua Bay.

The highway travels in a wide cutting through Maungatapu, and Taipari Street crosses it on a bridge.

Then SH 29A arrive at the signalised roundabout at Hairini, so traffic wishing to stay on the highway must turn either left or right depending on their direction of travel.

All of them involve turning that section of road into a limited access highway with grade separated junctions.