Category: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

The holidays are nearly here, but rest assured the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) media team will be on call to help during the 2024/25 Christmas/New Year break.

During the holidays your primary NZTA media contacts will be:

The Ministry of Transport will be providing updates on holiday road toll data throughout the break. Further background and historical crash data for the holiday period can be found at:

Holiday periods | Ministry of Transport(external link)

As always, the best source for real-time traffic information during the holidays is the NZTA Journey Planner:

Highway conditions | NZTA Journey Planner(external link)

NZTA has also crunched some data from previous holiday periods to compile a list of likely holiday congestion hotspots to help drivers plan ahead to avoid the queues.

Holiday hotspots | NZTA Journey Planner(external link)

Getting there safely – top tips for safe holiday driving

Plan ahead.  Get your vehicle checked before you head out, plan to avoid peak traffic where you can and give yourself enough time to take plenty of rest or sightseeing breaks along the way.  It’s your holiday after all, so why not make the journey an enjoyable part of it? 

Drive to the conditions.  Check the weather forecast before leaving home, as well as our real-time traffic updates for any incidents or closures. This isn’t just about weather conditions—it’s about the road you’re on, the traffic, your vehicle and load, your speed, your following distance, and adjusting your driving for wet and windy conditions.

Weather warnings | MetService(external link)

Watch out for fatigue.  Long trips are tiring and fatigue can be deadly behind the wheel. Get a good night’s sleep beforehand, plan in advance where you’ll take breaks along the way, and be aware of any medication you’re taking that might affect your driving. 

Keep your cool.  Holiday driving can be frustrating with busy roads, stifling heat and restless kids in the car. So please, be courteous and patient while on the roads.  Don’t get provoked by other drivers’ aggressive behaviour, and wait to overtake until you get to a passing lane or can see enough clear road ahead of you to do it safely.  And be sure to take enough games, books, or electronics to keep the kids occupied along the way.

Buckle up.  Don’t let your family holiday be marred by tragedy simply because someone didn’t buckle up. If you’re the driver, you are legally responsible for making sure all passengers under the age of 15 are securely restrained with either a safety belt or child restraint.  Children must be properly restrained by an approved child restraint until their 7th birthday. 

Don’t drink and drive.  Your judgement and reaction times begin to deteriorate after even one drink. Keep it simple – if you’re going to drink, don’t drive.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has restructured the Transmission Gully (Te Aranui o Te Rangihaeata) Motorway Project after reaching an agreement with Wellington Gateway Partnership (WGP) and its subcontractors.

The restructure includes a commercial settlement and resolves all previous disputes and differences between the parties.

Andrew Robertson, National Manager, Commercial Delivery, says the agreement is in the best interests of taxpayers and the Government, and means litigation currently before the High Court ends.

“The PPP has delivered a major piece of infrastructure for the Wellington region that to date, has proven its value in regional resilience and connectivity.”

“This settlement gives NZTA responsibility for project completion and involves it taking a more significant role in ongoing operations and maintenance. It also removes the uncertainty that ongoing, and potentially lengthy, legal proceedings would bring. Quite simply, it allows us to move forward with certainty,” Mr Robertson says.

While other details of the settlement are confidential, the arrangement also:

• facilitates the exit of CPB Contractors and HEB Construction Joint Venture from the project, and
• sees Ventia continue to operate and maintain the motorway.

Mr Robertson says the contract with WGP remains.

“Quarterly repayments to WGP will continue and will repay the capital it raised to build Transmission Gully.

“The agreement became effective this week and involves a transition phase of up to three months,” Mr Robertson says.

He says the changes do not affect road users and do not increase the cost of Transmission Gully to taxpayers.

“Transmission Gully has been open to the public since 31 March 2022 and continues to provide a safe and reliable route for the 25,000 vehicles that use it every day.”

The motorway remains one of the largest transport infrastructure projects in New Zealand.

Since it opened there have been no deaths or serious injuries along the motorway, despite more than one hundred incidents where the median and side barriers have been hit.

In parallel, deaths or serious injuries on both State Highway 58 and State Highway 59 have also reduced significantly.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

State Highway 1 (SH1) at Karāpiro, south of Cambridge, will be closed for 4 days in January for maintenance and repair work.

The dates for this work have changed.

The closure between Karāpiro Road south and SH1/29 at Piarere now runs from midnight on Sunday 19 to midnight Thursday 23 January 2025.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Waikato Bay of Plenty Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations, Roger Brady says during the closure all traffic will need to take detours or alternative routes to avoid the area.

“A closure is the most efficient and safest way to complete the necessary works.

“To get maintenance and repair work done quickly, safely and cost effectively, these full closures will become a regular event – up to 3 to 4 times a year. We appreciate this will have a major impact on people and we will give as much notice as possible of closures,’’ says Mr Brady.

During the January works, contractors will lay 42,000m2 of chipseal and apply a second seal on barrier areas and shoulders. They will also carry out works at the intersection with Maungatautari Road, and general maintenance such as mowing and sign repairs.

All properties within the closure and sideroads leading to it will have access maintained but delays are expected. Vehicles will be grouped and piloted through the site on the following schedule:

• Northbound from near the SH1/29 roundabout: Leaving on the hour.
• Southbound from Karāpiro Road: Leaving on the half hour.
• People coming from sideroads will join the convoy as it passes their road.

All visitors and service providers can join this piloted access when they are visiting a property within the closure. 

Emergency services will have full access through the site at all times.  

Detour routes

While access to properties within the closure will be maintained, all other traffic should use the detours:

• Karāpiro Road/Taotaoroa Road/SH29 in both directions with a speed restriction of 70km/h.
• State highway traffic and freight will be encouraged to use SH26/SH27.  HPMVs and over-dimension loads also need to use SH26/SH27. This will add approximately 50 minutes to journeys.
• Inter-regional traffic will be encouraged to use other routes like SH2/SH27 to the east of the closure. This will add approximately 18 minutes to journeys.

Traffic presenting at the stacking points at the north and south of the works area will not be turned around and can join the piloted convoys.

“We understand this work and the associated closures will cause inconvenience and we appreciate everyone’s patience.

“Our state highway network is essential for moving people and goods around the country, and this work is necessary to ensure the road is safe and accessible for everyone who travels on it,” says Mr Brady.

Following the resealing, the road will reopen with a 70km/h temporary speed limit.  Rollers and sweeping will take place before the road opens, but it will still need traffic on it at a reduced speed for up to a week for chip to bed in completely.

As always, work is weather dependent and any changes will be updated on Journey Planner.
journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)

View larger map of SH1 Karāpiro road closure for January 2025 [PDF, 224 KB]

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A busy year on the Hawke’s Bay state highway network has seen construction completed on a total of 90 recovery projects, contributing to the improved safety and resilience of state highways, and ultimately efficiency for travellers.

The Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) alliance has been continuing recovery work, on behalf of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) to restore cyclone-damaged state highways throughout Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti, reopening two-lanes to keep communities connected and freight moving.

Project manager Richard Bayley says the TREC team, alongside local contractors, has made huge progress in 2024 in Hawke’s Bay.

“We’ve completed construction on almost 70% of the programmed work in Hawke’s Bay with 90 projects repaired (faults fixed) overall. There is lots more to do and our busy summer construction season is continuing, with many new projects starting early next year.

“We had kilometres of damaged highways in the region, and we’ve restored much of it back to 2 lanes including at one of the most anticipated project sites in Hawke’s Bay – Devil’s Elbow. The entire lower section (north of the culvert) of Devil’s Elbow has now been finished, with 6 projects completed.

“Those projects couldn’t have been completed without the support of road users and communities in the area. With so much work happening on multiple sites, and Devil’s Elbow in particular, we really appreciate motorists’ cooperation when adjusting to new road layouts, temporary lower speeds or overnight road closures.

“We know it can be challenging to have so many construction sites, but the crews are working hard to repair what has been damaged, improving the safety and resilience of the state highway network.

“We’d also like to acknowledge all the local contractors who have delivered great results on TREC projects across the state highway network. It’s been a busy year, and we appreciate all their efforts. Around 80% of our East Coast recovery construction work is delivered by local contractors.”

“Thank you to Iwi and hapū who have continued to work closely with us.”

Multiple projects continue to be worked on across Hawke’s Bay, many of which are out of view of passing road users, such as slope stabilisation, and highway underpinning, which enhances the road’s strength in various areas. 

‘We’re expecting most of the TREC recovery work around Hawke’s Bay to be complete by mid next year. Crews will remain on site at Devil’s Corner, just south of the Elbow, until the end of 2025.”

To help local and holiday road users travel more easily around the region and minimise disruption, TREC work across state highways will temporarily stop over the Christmas/New Year period from Thursday 19 December until Monday 6 January.

In places, there will be traffic management such as reduced speed limits or one lane sections with traffic lights to keep people safe. Please take care and follow all signs and temporary speed limits.

Progress by state highway

SH2

SH2 in Hawke’s Bay was badly damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle. Completed projects in 2024 include:

At Devil’s Elbow (video)(external link) there is a 5km long recovery section with 11 major projects. The lower section comprising 6 projects, including Devil’s Elbow Culvert at the hairpin bend, was completed in November and reopened to 2 lanes.

Three projects in the upper section at Devil’s Elbow are underway with one more starting in the new year. This includes the last and most complex Devil’s Elbow recovery project at Devil’s Corner – Project I on the map above. Here, Cyclone Gabrielle caused a 40m long and 10m high underslip that significantly damaged the southbound lane of SH2. Work to repair this complex slip will continue throughout 2025. This site will remain at one lane until the project is completed at the end of 2025.

Work continues at Tangoio Falls Reserve underslip(external link), with shotcreting (spraying liquid concrete) underway this week. This site will be open to 2 lanes for the holiday break and the team will return in the new year to complete the repair.

Additional SH2 sites for 2025 includes road repair work at Mohaka Rail Viaduct, as well as slip and pavement repairs at Sandy Creek.

SH5 Napier-Taupō Road

Culvert repairs were a focus on SH5 this year. Culverts channel water away to protect the road above them, and the land supporting the road, from excessive water damage. This year TREC has completed work on Captain’s Culvert (video)(external link), North of Hill Road Culvert, and Dillon’s Hill Culvert.

Other recovery projects included Dillion’s Hill Sheetpile Wall, work at Pokopoko Gully and Stoney Creek.

In the new year, crew will be working on Tarawera Culvert and repairing three underslips at Māori Gully.

SH38

TREC has completed 6 recovery projects along the road. This includes 2 underslips at Waikaretāheke River, Waiau River underslip, and scour (erosion) repairs and protection at Piripaua, and south of Mangakino Bridge.

There are 6 recovery projects remaining: south of Kaitawa underslip, Tarapatiki underslip, Rosie Bay underslip, and 3 underslips at Whatapo Bay.

More details in our SH38 brochure [PDF, 4.3 MB]

SH50

Bridge repairs were a focus on SH50 this year with work being completed on Mangamate Stream Bridge, Ben Lomond Bridge, Chesterman’s Bridge, Tukipō Stream Bridge and Ashcott Bridge.

Glencoe Gorge Culvert was also repaired and the one remaining SH50 site – Glencoe Gorge underslip – will begin early 2025 and likely be finished by early autumn 2025.

More details in our SH50 brochure [PDF, 2.9 MB]

SH51

Waitangi Bridge over the Tutaekuri River on SH51 has been closely monitored since Cyclone Gabrielle. It remains structurally sound. During this time, we have been investigating the best option for repair, with the chosen solution going through detailed design now. When the repairs of the piles above the waterline are complete, we will be able to remove the delineation posts and the reinstate the posted speed limit.

Recovery construction is scheduled to start in April 2025, and will take approximately four months.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A wide-ranging programme of work to improve safety on State Highway 3 between New Plymouth and Hāwera has made solid progress in its first full year of construction. 

Since 2016, this stretch of SH3 has witnessed 761 crashes, with 297 of them resulting in injuries and 13 resulting in fatalities. 

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Project Manager Sree Nutulapati says the aim of the project is to improve safety along this corridor through a range of physical improvements, including wide centrelines, flexible median barriers and a roundabout. 

“We are committed to creating safer journeys for everyone using this section of SH3, helping people get where they need to go safely and efficiently. 

“When our contractors are installing improvements, we know sometimes the work causes disruption. We’d like to thank road users for their patience while we have been busy improving safety along this corridor of SH3.”  

Delivery of physical improvements on the New Plymouth to Hāwera safety improvements project began at the start of 2024, with a 2.65km section of flexible median barrier installed just north of Normanby.

This was followed soon after by the installation of median barriers at sites near Midhirst, Inglewood and Egmont Village. 

To date, the project has delivered close to 10km of median barriers and wide centrelines at 9 locations.

“The median barriers prevent head-on crashes, which is how many people are killed or seriously injured on our roads,” says Mr Nutulapati.

“Widening centrelines is a simple and effective way to steer drivers away from each other – giving people more time to react and helping prevent crashes if someone makes a mistake.” 

Mangorei Road roundabout

Physical works still to be completed include the installation of a 28m by 24m roundabout and associated works – including footpaths, crossing islands and an offroad cycle path – to improve safety at the Mangorei Road intersection in New Plymouth. 

“We know there’s plenty of community support from locals and road users for this roundabout – so we’re eager to progress construction, providing smoother, safer and more efficient traffic flow.

A temporary roundabout has been installed at the Mangorei Road intersection, for the safe and efficient management of traffic while work progresses towards completion of the permanent roundabout and associated improvements in the first half of 2026. 

Works will also resume in the new year on intersection improvements and widening between Junction Street and Mangorei Road, subject to receipt of a Wildlife Act Authority permit for the removal and rehoming of any lizards found to be living in vegetation along the roadside. 

Also scheduled for early in 2025 is the installation of approximately 1km of wide centreline between Dudley and Durham Roads on the southern extents of Inglewood. 

Looking further ahead, the project has completed the design of a possible future roundabout (subject to the availability of funding for construction) at Egmont Village, while design work is underway for the possible future installation of wide centreline over approximately 25km at sites between Egmont Village and Eltham.

Once this design work is completed by mid-2025, the designs will be retained for future rollout when funding for construction becomes available. The designs will enable the possible installation of flexible median barriers within a widened centreline, or widening of the centreline only. 

Upcoming traffic management

Before Christmas, SH3 between Inglewood and Eltham will see daytime road shoulder closures and temporary speed restrictions at 3 separate locations in this stretch; to enable ground investigations.

In January 2025 there will be some lane closures and temporary speed restrictions at locations on SH3 between Egmont Village and Eltham, to enable further ground investigations. Further details to follow.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A new roundabout outside the Marlborough Airport has been completed two weeks ahead of schedule, providing an early Christmas present for Marlborough residents.

Work started on the roundabout approximately six months ago, after the roundabout at the State Highway 6, St Leonards and Bells Road intersection was finished.

Jetesh Bhula, Regional Manager Infrastructure Delivery, says contractors completed the project earlier this month, with the new roundabout getting its final asphalt surface.

“We are delighted to get this project wrapped before Christmas and deliver this new infrastructure to the community.”

“State Highway 6 Middle Renwick Road carries, on average, over 8,000 vehicles a day. The new roundabouts mean it is now much easier and safer for traffic to get across and turn onto the highway. The new infrastructure helps people, be they in a car travelling locally or carrying freight to other destinations, get to where they are going much more efficiently,” Mr Bhula says.

And he is thanking all those who were affected while the project was completed.

“All up, we have had crews on-site for the best part of a year getting these roundabouts built. We know the construction has affected residents and businesses.”

“I want to give a special mention to those who were significantly affected, and to Marlborough Airport and New Zealand Defence Force for their support and cooperation,” Mr Bhula says.

Project facts and figures

Getting the last roundabout completed over the last six months in time for Christmas involved a huge amount of work. It saw:

• Over 650 metres of new power ducting installed.
• 300 metres of CCTV and fibre communications ducting were put in.
• 280 metres of watermain pipe and 150 metres of stormwater and sewer pipes were laid.
• 2,700 tonnes of earth were moved.
• 850 cubic metres of concrete poured.
• 1,900 tonnes of asphalt laid.
• New plantings put in (over 800 plants).

More information

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

The end is in sight for the Tāngarākau Gorge sealing project on State Highway 43 Forgotten World Highway.

Crews are currently working to seal the final 5.7 kilometres of unsealed road through the gorge and expect to finish by the end of January.

So far 3.8 kilometres has been sealed, and a further 400 metres will be completed by Christmas, with the remaining 1.5 kilometres to be sealed next month. Crews had initially hoped to have the remainder complete by the end of the year, but wet weather has slightly pushed out the timeframe.

Work won’t be taking place during the annual shut down – from midday Friday 20th December 2024 to midday 6 January 2025, which is designed to minimise disruption for holiday makers.

A temporary speed limit will remain in place during this period, on the unsealed section.

The Forgotten World Highway is one of the iconic back country journeys, so sealing the road, while protecting the character of it, will encourage more tourists through the area.

The gorge project will ultimately see the unsealed 12-kilometre section of the Forgotten World Highway chip-sealed, making the road safer and more accessible for locals and visitors wanting to experience the iconic back country journey.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi would like to thank the community and road users for their support of the project this year and their patience at times of the year when there’s been extensive traffic management in place.