Category: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

People travelling throughout Hawke’s Bay over the next few months can expect to see a lot of activity renewing (replacing road surfaces) and resealing the region’s state highways.

The 2024/25 summer maintenance and renewals season is now well underway.

In addition to a busy summer maintenance and renewals season, cyclone recovery work is continuing.

During the course of the maintenance and renewals season, which typically runs between now and March when the weather is warmer and drier, approximately 10 lane kilometres* of state highways are expected to be renewed in total throughout the region.

Renewing the road involves removing the existing road surface and underlying structure and replacing it with new materials.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations Rua Pani says a focus of the maintenance and renewals season is ensuring a safe, reliable, resilient state highway network.

“Undertaking a high number of road renewals is a key priority in the region. This is how we improve road conditions long-term,” says Ms Pani.

“We are working hard to minimise the impact of works on road users, but some level of disruption is unavoidable. We appreciate the patience of all road users in Hawke’s Bay as we complete this necessary maintenance work on the region’s roads,” says Ms Pani.

Some of the activity planned through the renewals programme

SH2: 

• Work at Rakaipaaka north of Wairoa has been completed. 
• Work at Tawhara Station, south of Wairoa has been completed.
• Work at north Ohinepeka has been completed.
• Taniwha Station in central Hawke’s Bay. This site is currently underway and expected to be complete mid-December.
• Work in Waipwa is due to begin in January.

SH5: 

• Te Haroto School. The site is due to be set up early in December and expected to be completed mid-January.
• Gum Trees. The site is due to be set up early January and expected to be completed by early March.
• Old Mill. The site is due to be set up early November and expected to be completed mid- December.
• There will be some further work on two sites from last season including Māori Gully and Waioni Bridge.

SH50: 

• South of Mangamaukau Stream – Tikokino village between Holden Street and Smedley Road. The site is due to get underway late January and is expected to be complete mid-March.
• Watsons South, just north of the intersection with Ashley Clinton Rd. Approximately one month in duration and 757m in length. This site is starting early February and completion is expected mid-March.
• Balfours Rd, just north of Makaretu Rd intersection. This site is 165m long. It is programmed for early January until mid-February.
• Mangatewai South, south of Mangatewai River bridge. This site is 290m long and programmed for mid-January until late February.

Alongside the summer maintenance and renewals season, Hawke’s Bay road crews are continuing cyclone recovery work.

NZTA is working alongside Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) and local contractors on a range of recovery projects.

TREC’s Hawke’s Bay project spokesperson Chris Mahoney says TREC crews are making good progress alongside local contractors on multiple recovery sites, fixing damaged sections of the road, stablising slips, repairing and maintaining bridges.

The recovery programme includes sites at Devil’s Elbow and White Pine Bush on SH2, repairs at Dillon’s Hill Culvert, and North of Hill Road Culvert on SH5, and bridge repairs at Chesterman’s Bridge and Aschott Bridge on SH50.

“We expect the bulk of the recovery work to be completed by autumn next year. There will be a handful of sites that run for a longer period, but much of the traffic management will be off the network come Easter.”

With the increase in renewal work, road users can expect to encounter a number of roadwork sites and sections of newly sealed road on their journeys.

“It is important that drivers follow the temporary traffic management in place, adhere to all speed restrictions in place and respect our crews while travelling through the roadworks site.

 “Speeding over a freshly sealed road can damage the new seal, lifting and flicking stones from the road that can, in turn, damage nearby vehicles or your own. To minimise the risk of damage to both vehicles and the new seal, it is crucial that road users adhere to all temporary speed restrictions in place,” says Ms Pani.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A few days of adverse weather have meant that State Highway 1 between Tokoroa and upper Ātiamuri will reopen only partially at midday on Thursday 21 November between Kinleith and upper Ātiamuri.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations for Waikato and Bay of Plenty, Roger Brady, says this partial opening was the best solution for those using SH1 in that area.  

“We lost 4 days of work since we started work in this area on 6 October – all because of rain.  This is a large site spanning 17km with four separate work areas.  We have completed 13kms of road makeover, allowing us to open the southern end of this work zone between Kinleith and Upper Ātiamuri, which we are sure many locals will welcome.   

“We also needed to press on to get the next section, Putāruru to Tokoroa underway, as there is a limited time before the Christmas road-works moratorium comes into place on Friday 20 December 2024.The partial reopening means we can reduce the length of the detours and journey times.” 

The new detour will now be SH32, Old Taupō Road, Kinleith Road and vice versa. Businesses and residences between SH32 intersection and just north of Campbell Road will still be accessible with the so ft closure there.

“The northern section of this work, from Tokoroa down to Kinleith, has had an extensive makeover which involved milling out the existing road surface and replacing it with new material and adding a foam stabilised bitumen basecourse layer.  It is expected this section should be open early to mid next week. 

“Unfortunately road works are totally dependent on having good weather, and we just need a little more time. We think this work-around is a good outcome that most locals will appreciate,” Mr Brady says. 

The partial section of road reopening will be under traffic management for a few days so the surface can be driven on to bed-in the rebuild work. Once the chip is adequately bedded in (the length of time will vary depending on the weather), the excess chip will be swept off, road markings completed, and the traffic management removed. It is expected this will be done by the time the rest of this section is open next week, again under traffic management while it is bedded in.  

The final asphalt surface will be applied under night-time road closures starting Tuesday 7 January 2025. More information will be available soon about the impacts of that work on journeys.  

The partial reopening means that at 5am on Thursday 21 November 2024, the next SH1 customer, Putāruru to Tokoroa, will close for its beauty treatment and a 15 lane-kilometre facelift. We could not delay starting this work, as the road had to be sparkling for the Christmas holiday season at midday on 20 December 2024 and there is a bit to be done!  

SH1 will be closed to through traffic from SH1/Princes Street, Putāruru to SH1/SH32 Tokoroa intersection. All north and south bound SH1 light vehicles will be detoured via Princes Street, Arapuni Street, Arapuni Road, Waotu Road, Old Taupo Road, SH32 – Tokoroa and vice versa. This will add approximately 15 mins and 11km to journey times. There will be a temporary speed limit of 70km/h along the entirety of the detour route. Heavy vehicles are asked to take SH5/30.  

The “hard closure” (the worksite) is approximately 13km long, from Vospers Road to Rollett Road. There will be a “soft closure” in Putāruru, between SH1/Princes Street intersection and Vospers Road/Ngatira Road, Lichfield. There is also a soft closure at the southern end, up to Rollett Road.  While still allowing access to businesses and residents, these soft closures are in place to send those on longer journeys down appropriate detours. 

Southbound traffic will not be able to travel beyond Vospers/Ngatira Road. Northbound traffic will be able to travel as far north as SH1 Rollett Road. 

The first closure on SH1 was from south of Tīrau to north of Putāruru, with the rebuild work finishing on 4 October. We are coming back for one last step in the revamp – to lay the final asphalt surface – under night-time road closures from Sunday 24 November until Thursday 5 December, working Sunday to Thursday nights only. The road will be closed from 7pm – 6am during this time. Detours will be as before, via SH28 and SH5, adding approximately 8 minutes to journeys. We’re looking forward to seeing the final result – a well-constructed road that is great to drive on (and admire)! 

Work began on 11 November on Eastern Taupō Arterial and this section will reopen on 6 December. 

SH1 between Tūrangi and Waiouru will close from Monday 6 January until late February 2025. More information to come. 

To learn more please visit our SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru maintenance project page where you can also subscribe to our newsletter: 

SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru maintenance

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Road users are advised to expect delays on State Highway 1, north of Levin, later this week as crews complete sealing work.

Since September, an important road rebuild has been taking place on SH1 north of Levin, near the intersection of Heatherlea East Road.

Crews have been working as efficiently as possible to improve drainage and replace the underlying pavement of this section of road to improve its long-term condition.

The sealing work will take place over two days this week – Wednesday 20^th, Thursday 21^st from 9am – 4pm.

Crews expect to complete the work in two days but will return to site on Friday between 9am and 1pm if an extra day is needed.

Road users are advised to expect delays of up to 30 minutes, while travelling through the site.

This road rebuild is well ahead of schedule and is expected to be completed weeks before the original scheduled finish date of 14 December.

These sealing works are being carried out during the day due to the need for warmer, drier temperatures which gives the new asphalt the best chance of success.

Following these sealing works, the road will be under temporary traffic management while it is swept and line marked.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi thanks road users in the area for driving to the conditions and for taking an alternative route where possible. NZTA appreciates at times there will be disruption on our network, and our roadworkers will do their best to complete their work safely and efficiently and keep you moving this summer.

We’d like to thank the local Levin community for their patience while these rebuild works have been underway.

For more information about the 2024/2025 road maintenance season, please visit:

Manawatū-Whanganui maintenance and operations

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Good weather on the West Coast of the South Island over the weekend has helped crews removing loose rocks at the Epitaph Slip’s steep faces, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

SH6 through South Westland was closed just over a week ago when record-breaking rain pummelled Otago and Westland, creating wide-spread flooding. Slips, rockfall and cracking in the highway, showing movement had occurred under the road, has kept this key section of highway closed since then.

“The crew was able to use the helicopter to sluice the highest parts of the rock face on Saturday and has completed most of the safety-critical rock removal over the past two days,” says Mark Pinner, System Manager for NZTA in the Central South Island.

The next stage, once there is no more risk of overhead rockfall, is to construct a bund around the base of the cliff face at the southern end to reduce the risk of any future rockfall making it onto the road, says Mr Pinner. That work will get underway on Monday alongside clearing the debris from the catchpit.

The bund will be constructed using rock which has fallen from the site to date.

“The scaling team will continue with preparation for removal of some of the larger rockfall features this week, in clear co-ordination with ground crews for everyone’s safety.

“Once we get this highway reopened in coming days, scaling and clean-up crews will continue to work at this site for some weeks so it will be a slower journey through this point for some time,” says Mr Pinner.

Cracks in the highway are being filled this week and drainage improvements installed to funnel water away from the area of recent movement.

NZTA understands the importance of this key route to the region, and work is being completed as quickly as possible to safely re-open the road, says Mr Pinner. NZTA is providing regular updates to local government, businesses and the Department of Conservation, to keep everyone informed.

“We know this is frustrating for hospitality and tourism operators on the West Coast and in Otago who rely upon the Haast/SH6 loop for much of their summer business. We are doing our best to return this road to everyone in a safe condition, ready for the months ahead.”

NZTA will provide a further update on Wednesday 5pm (20 November) which will include a definitive timeline for re-opening the road, with earlier updates if anything changes before then.

Hokitika, Fox Glacier and Franz Josef, Haast – all open for business

• The West Coast’s SH6 is open for business north of Lake Moeraki and from Haast south.
• The route into the glacier towns and further south as far as Lake Moeraki is fully open from the north/Hokitika on SH6.
• Drivers can get to Haast from the southern Otago/Makarora side of SH6.
• People cannot drive between the two at this stage.

For further information

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Rock scaling crews clearing dangerously large and unstable rocks high above SH6 north of Haast resumed work this morning following delays on Thursday as wet weather made conditions treacherous on site.

Crews have been hard at work on the cliff face since Tuesday after setting up and getting a helipad for equipment delivery in place on Monday, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

On Thursday crews were forced to stop rock scaling work as rain set in around mid-afternoon, with around 100mm falling. Scaling work re-started this morning and is progressing well. Crews will be on site continuing with safety critical rock scaling work and road repairs throughout the weekend.

Following the completion of rock-scaling, crews will clear rockfall material and construct a bund to protect the road. The bund to protect the road, recycling fallen rock, can only be built once the rockfall risk from above is cleared enough for the crews on the ground to be safe.

NZTA understands the importance of this key route to the region, and work is being completed as quickly as possible to safely re-open the road. NZTA is providing regular updates to local government, businesses and the Department of Conservation, to keep everyone informed.

NZTA will provide a further update on Wednesday 5pm (20 November) which will include a definitive timeline for re-opening the road.  We will provide updates earlier if they are available before that time.

What’s been achieved so far?

• This week crews have filled several cracks in the highway caused by movement from the Epitaph Slip, as well as using airbags to release unstable rocks above the road.
• Overhanging vegetation has been cleared, in some cases using explosives to get a clear look at rocks underneath and assess their stability.
• Drainage work has started to dewater/drain the areas most susceptible to movement.
• The protective bund design and its alignment next to the highway has been approved so crews are ready to install it once it is safe to do so.

Can I get to Fox Glacier and Franz Josef? What about Haast?

• The route into the glacier towns and further south as far as Paringa is fully open from the north/Hokitika on SH6.
• Drivers can access Haast from the southern Otago/Makarora side of SH6.
• People cannot drive between the two at this stage.
• The West Coast’s SH6 is open for business north of Lake Moeraki and from Haast south.

Lake Moeraki to Paringa reopens

The section of highway north of Lake Moeraki to Paringa has fully reopened from Friday 15 November 2024.  Traffic Management will remain in place as slip clearance work continues and road users should expect ongoing delays. 

NZTA’s Journey Planner – West Coast highway conditions(external link)

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is asking people to ‘chip’ in by planning ahead, being patient and adhering to temporary speed limits, with multiple chip sealing sites planned for State Highway 1 from south of Whangārei to Kaiwaka throughout November.

All work will be carried out at night under stop/go traffic management to minimise disruption for road users. Temporary speed limits and traffic management will remain in place the following day to guide traffic over the new seal and help to embed it successfully.

It’s important to slow down through newly sealed sections of road because small chips can be flicked up from the road surface and damage vehicles – especially windscreens. That’s why we often keep temporary speed limits in place even after it looks like the work has been completed. As well as safety, the temporary speed limit also helps ensure the quality of the reseal. Travelling at the posted temporary speed limit allows for the chips to be embedded into the road surface and for them to remain in place as the seal cures.

Chipsealing helps ensure a smooth, skid-resistant surface, free of potholes and slippery sections to reduce the risk of crashes and help keep everyone traveling on our roads safe. Doing it now ensures the highway is in great condition for journeys over the busy Christmas/New Year holiday period.

Details of specific work sites for the week ahead can be found on the Northland state highway maintenance programme website.

Northland state highway maintenance programme information(external link)

However, work is weather dependent and there may be changes to the planned works in the case of unsuitable weather. Please visit the NZTA Journey Planner website for up-to-date information, including any changes due to weather. 

Journey Planner(external link)

This work is part of Northland’s significant summer maintenance programme, which will see approximately 210 lane kilometres of state highway renewed across the region by the end of May.

NZTA thanks everyone for their understanding and support while we carry out this essential maintenance.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

State Highway summer maintenance will hit top gear on State Highway 6 between Hira and Rai Valley in December.

Planned road rebuilds for the Whangamoa Saddle will wrap up in December. The work is part of the $147 million 2024/27 National Land Transport Programme investment in state highways across the top of the South Island.

Contractors will be onsite near Graham Stream for two weeks from Monday 2 December, with work to be completed by Friday 13 December, ahead of the busy holiday period.

Rob Service, System Manager Nelson-Tasman, says it is a critical part of this summer’s road maintenance work.

“As we’ve seen on this route in 2022 and on the West Coast recently, bad weather can strike at any time. The more we can do to repair and maintain our highways, the stronger they’ll be when weather events occur.”

State Highway 6 is a vital link between Blenheim and Nelson. The planned road rebuild will improve the route’s resilience, make it safer, and reduce the maintenance it will need in the future,” Mr Service says.

As part of the work, contractors will remove the existing road surface before building it back up and re-laying a new material with added cement to create a more resilient and long-lasting pavement.

The work will be done during the day from Monday to Saturday under stop/go traffic controls. Drivers will need to factor in around 10-minute delays through this site.

Mr Service says temporary speed limits will be in place 24/7 while the repairs are underway, and he warns drivers must factor this, as well as delays from other roadworks sites on the route, into their travel plans.

We have a lot of work underway on State Highway 6 at the moment. There is this work on the Whangamoa Saddle, resilience improvements on the Rai Saddle, and road reconstruction work at Canvastown.”

“If you are driving between Nelson and Blenheim, please allow an extra 45 minutes for your journey. This is especially important for people with medical appointments in Nelson or Blenheim or those with Picton ferry connections,” Mr Service says.

He appreciates roadworks and the associated delays they cause can be frustrating for drivers.

“The investments we are making in repairs and maintenance do pay off. The better maintained roads are, the fewer problems they have. That’s a win for all road users.”

“We are also doing as much work as possible on the network before Christmas. We know how important the busy summer period is to the community,” Mr Service says.

Contractors will return to State Highway 6 Whangamoa Saddle in February next year to carry out annual summer maintenance work under a night closure. More details on this work will be shared before Christmas.

Works schedule

• The work site is located on SH6 near Graham Stream in the Whangamoa Saddle between Hira and Rai Valley.
• Work is from Monday, 2 December, to Friday, 13 December 2024.
• Working hours: 7:00 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Saturday (no night-time work or work on Sundays).
• Stop/go controls and a 30km/h reduced temporary speed limit in place during work hours. Expect delays of up to 10 minutes at this site but allow an extra 45 minutes travel time on SH6 between Nelson and Blenheim due to other work sites.
• A 30km/h reduced temporary speed limit will remain in place outside of work hours.

Summer maintenance season – Tips and advice: