Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA’s) highway maintenance crews are getting back into road repair and re-surfacing work this month and next across the central South Island – Canterbury and the West Coast regions.
All drivers need to be factoring additional time into their journeys and checking the Traffic and Travel maps before heading off so they are not surprised by a 20 or 30 minute delay, says NZTA’s Senior Network Manager for Canterbury Sagar Pandey.
A complicating factor this summer is the lack of summer temperatures and addition of rain in Canterbury, so drivers should also check that the planned works have not been postponed at short notice.
“In some cases we know people might travel through more than one road resurfacing project on a long journey, so adding an hour to the time expected and lowering your expectations around the time required is a good idea,” says Mr Pandey.
“We encourage people to drive safely and keep stress levels down on the highway – avoid tail-gating, take breaks. If you are following a truck, a caravan or trailer with a boat or a slower vehicle, take it easy, arrive safe.”
NZTA thanks everyone for slowing around our crews and traffic managers, taking a break along the way, and building in the extra time.
North Canterbury
Porters Pass, SH73, key route between West Coast and Canterbury: There is resurfacing work underway between Springfield and Castle Hill, the Kowai River Bridge No 2 to the Porter River Bridge starting this week (7 January) through to Wednesday, 22 January, 7 am to 6 pm. The daytime work will involve ten-minute delays in both directions, managed with traffic signals.
- Three nights of full closure next week: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights, 13 – 15 January, weather and temperature dependent, the highway will fully close in both directions overnight 9 pm to 5.30 am with a traffic clearance between midnight and 1 am. If it is wet, Thursday 16 January is a contingency night.
Lewis Pass route between the West Coast and Canterbury overnight closures: SH7 Handyside Stream area west of the Hanmer Springs turnoff is being resurfaced.
Six nights full closure from next week: There will be around six nights of full closure from Thursday, 16 January to Wednesday 22 January, weather and temperature dependent. Traffic will be stopped from 9 pm to 5.30 am with a clearance hour using Stop/Go between midnight and 1am.
Lewis Pass route between the West Coast and Canterbury overnight closures: SH7 Weka Pass, south of Waikari is being resurfaced from Tuesday, 21 January to Friday, 24 January, also weather and temperature dependent.
As for the other sites above, there will be a full traffic closure 9 pm to 5.30 am with a midnight traffic clearance midnight to 1 am using Stop/Go. Check our map before you set out.
Detour for Weka Pass site for traffic under 46 tonnes: There is a detour around this site for vehicles weighing less than 46 tonnes via SH1 and Scargill Valley Road.
Emergency vehicles, the midnight envelope
During these SH7 and SH73 closures, emergency vehicles will be accommodated as quickly as possible at all times. NZTA thanks all regular night travellers for planning around the midnight to 1 am closures on these key routes.
It is possible the closure times could extend to earlier in the evening (eg 6 pm), managed with Stop/Go.
West Coast Region
SH6, South Westland, Epitaph underslip and rift area north of Haast: Rockfall prevention work restarts from Monday, 13 January and is expected to continue through to March, 2025.
From 13 January, the road will again be closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 12.30 and 4pm for rock clearing using explosives.
SH73, the Arthur’s Pass route: From Wednesday, 15 January to Tuesday, 30 January, crews will be repairing joints on the Otira Viaduct with a long work site managed by Stop/Go daytimes. Please build in an extra 20 minutes to your journeys, says Mr Pandey.
Night-time projects Mid and South Canterbury
Please check the traffic and travel map on the day for changes to these schedules, given many of these projects are weather and temperature dependent.
Journey Planner(external link)
SH1/SH79 Mid Canterbury, Rangitata intersection: Road resurfacing from Saturday 25 January to Thursday, 30 January. Up to 30-minute delays managed with Stop/Go.
SH1 Mid Canterbury, Hinds River Bridge: Asphaltic concrete resurfacing with up to three hour night closures, 9-10 March, Sunday and Monday. More details coming closer to dates.
SH1 Mid Canterbury, Rangitata Bridge: Asphaltic concrete resurfacing with up to three-hour night closures, 11-14 March, Tuesday to Friday. More details closer to the dates.
SH1 South Canterbury, Winchester Level Rail Crossing: Asphaltic concrete resurfacing both approaches to the Winchester Rail Crossing 20 and 21 January, Monday and Tuesday. SH1 closed at the rail crossing with local road detours, 6pm to 6am each night. Detours will add around 20 minutes to travel times.
SH8 South Canterbury, Fairlie Township: Asphaltic concrete resurfacing through the township on SH8 and SH79 24 – 31 January, Friday to Friday. Night-time Stop/Go and delays of up to 20 minutes to be expected 7pm to 6am.
Daytime projects Mid and South Canterbury
SH1 Mid Canterbury, Rakaia to Timaru: Resealing multiple sites from Friday, 24 January. Drivers can expect Stop/Go during daytime hours and delays of up to 40 minutes through to the end of January.
SH1 Mid Canterbury, Rangitata Bridge: Daytime delays of up to 20 minutes continue for bridge piling works. Bridge closure over one night planned for March to cut old piles from the bridge, opening times every hour. More information will be provided closer to the date.
SH82 South Canterbury’s Waimate Gorge, to end of March: Drivers and traffic will be managed with temporary traffic lights 24/7 and a 30km/h speed limit from this week (6 January) to the end of March through this road reconstruction site. People should build in 20 minutes extra time while this work is underway.
SH8 South Canterbury, Coal Stream Fairlie, to end of April: Work continues on two more road reconstruction sites between Albury and Fairlie with 24/7 temporary traffic lights and delays of up to 20 minutes through to the end of April.
SH1 Timaru Showgrounds site, Bridge Road/Jellicoe St: Timaru District Council is replacing a water main pipe with lanes likely to be closed and traffic management, potentially from the end of January for around two months. More details to come.