Category: Transport

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A reminder that crews will be working from next week to resurface a small stretch of State Highway 1 at the intersection of SH1/3 in Bulls.

The overnight work will begin on Tuesday 7 January and is expected to be complete on Wednesday 22 January.

Crews will be working on site from 6pm to 6am, resurfacing this stretch of road between Fagan St and the SH1/3 intersection.

For the first week of the programme (Tuesday 7 – Wednesday 15 January), the section of road between Daniell Street and the SH1/3 intersection will be closed. A detour will be in place, taking traffic through Criterion Street to avoid the closure.

Following the closure, stop/go traffic management will remain in place from Thursday 16 January to Wednesday 22 January to allow crews to complete the road maintenance work.

The detour and delays are expected to add less than 5 minutes to the journey time. Outside of working hours, the road will be open with a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place.

Following this (from Wednesday 22 to Wednesday 29 January), further road maintenance is planned in Bulls on SH1 Bridge Street. Stop/go will be in place at night between Gorton Street and the Bulls Bridge while road patching is completed.

In the event of bad weather, work will begin on the next fine day and may extend the programme out.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi thanks all road users for taking the detour and for their support while we work to boost resilience of this stretch of road.

Manawatū-Whanganui region maintenance programme

State Highway 1 Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance

State Highway 1 Tūrangi to Waiouru – including the Desert Road – will be closed for vital road rebuilding and repairs for around 2 months from Monday 13 January 2025. Find out more and plan ahead

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

State Highway 2 (SH2) near Snodgrass Road in Te Puna will be looking fresh by the end of February 2025 after 6 weeks of road rebuilding is completed.

Work gets underway on Sunday 12 January carrying out an asphalt road rebuild. Crews will be working overnight daily between 8pm and 5.30am. Stop/go traffic management will be in place overnight while the work is taking place.

The works are scheduled for completion on Monday 24 February (weather dependent).

“We understand how working in this area of the Western Bay can cause significant delays and queues, which is why crews are working at night to minimise disruption and getting the majority of the work done during the school holidays when traffic volumes are lower,” says Sandra King, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Bay of Plenty System Manager.

For the duration of the works, entry and exits from Snodgrass Road and Te Puna Quarry Road to/from SH2 will be closed. Alternative routes are Munro Road on the south side of SH2 and Armstrong and Borell Roads on the northern side of SH2.  (See map below.)

“Maintenance on this high volume stretch of road is very important for the safety and resilience of the network. These works involve digging out the existing road layers and replacing them layer by layer,” says Ms King.

During the day, there will be a reduced speed limit until the work is complete and there will also be gentle ramps for State Highway through traffic to allow for the height difference of the surfaces while work is carried out.

“More than 20,000 people travel through this part of SH2 daily and a smooth road makes all these trips safer and more enjoyable, and we encourage people to check the NZTA Journey Planner before you travel,” says Ms King.

This work forms part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund.  

Delays are to be expected, and NZTA thanks motorists for their patience.

View larger image [JPG, 283 KB]

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A reminder State Highway 56 through Opiki will be closing during daytime hours for 2 months from next week for a raft of maintenance.

Crews will be onsite between Tuesday 7 January and Friday 7 March each weekday* between 6am and 6pm.

During this work, crews will be carrying out two road rebuilds, drainage improvements, resurfacing, bridge deck repairs and general maintenance.

The road will be closed between Alve Road and the intersection with State Highway 57. A detour will be in place, via SH57 through Tokomaru or SH1 through Foxton.

Access to residents, businesses and the school will be available throughout these works, and people will be asked to speak to the onsite crew.

Outside the 6am to 6pm closures, the road will be open and a 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place for safety.

These detours are expected to add up to 15 minutes to people’s journey times.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi thanks road users for their support of this work which aims to strengthen this section of road and improve its long-term condition; ultimately improving travel times and minimising future disruptions.

*Weekend closures

While most of the work will be carried out during weekday closures, some weekend work will be required.

At this stage, the scheduled weekends of work with the closure and detour in place for are:

• 11-12 January
• 18-19 January
• 25-26 January 2025
• 1-2 February
• 8-9 February
• 15-16 February

These works are dependent on various factors including weather and may be postponed at short notice. Please keep up to date with any changes to the schedule by visiting NZTA’s Journey Planner.

Manawatū-Whanganui-region maintenance programme

State Highway 1 Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance

State Highway 1 Tūrangi to Waiouru – including the Desert Road – will be closed for vital road rebuilding and repairs for around 2 months from Monday 13 January 2025. Find out more and plan ahead

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A reminder that maintenance work will begin soon on a stretch of State Highway 2 just north of Waipawa.

The road rebuild will be carried out in stages from 13 January to the end of March. Crews will focus on a 500 metre stretch of SH2, between Tamumu Road and Victoria Street.

Work will initially be focussed on installing new kerbs and improving channels. This is a continuation of the kerb and channel work undertaken in this section earlier this year.

Once the kerbs and channels are completed, crews will start rebuilding the road surface. This will involve recycling the existing road materials with cement added to the pavement, to improve and extend the life of the road and improve the journey through this section.

“Our crews will be working days and some nights to speed up the works and complete the job as quickly as possible,” says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations Rua Pani.

“There will be different traffic management set ups at different stages of the work which will be communicated before the works begin. We advise road users to please expect short delays through this worksite at times and to plan their journeys accordingly.”

“We know this work will be frustrating for road users and residents, and for local businesses and communities in the area. We also know Waipawa has already seen its fair share of disruption during earlier improvements on the main street and we are working with Central Hawkes’ Bay District Council (CHBDC) to minimise the impact these works will have on the community.”

“Ultimately, this work will improve the efficiency of travel for all road users, hopefully minimising disruptions in future,” says Ms Pani.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

It may be wet under foot in the coming days but don’t let that dampen your holiday road trips.

Drive to the conditions and if they change, reduce your speed.

A reminder that the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Holiday Journey Planner remains up to date and easy to access – it may end up being one of your best road trip companions.

The Journey Planner shows predicted traffic flows over the New Year holiday, based on previous year’s travel patterns. This handy ‘trip hack’ is a great way to plan your trips and avoid the stress of getting caught up in lengthy delays.

Holiday Journey Planner(external link)

NZTA wants everyone to get to their destinations safely. More cars on the road, tired drivers and people driving on unfamiliar roads can all add up to make holiday driving stressful and risky. But there are simple things we can all do to stay safe.

We encourage everyone to check that their car is safe before heading off, keep your speeds down, drive sober, watch for signs of fatigue and share the driving on long trips.

Always drive to the conditions, which can change quickly. Check the weather forecast before leaving home, as well as our real-time traffic updates for any incidents or closures.

Over the coming days, as forecast heavy rain hits parts of the country, stay alert, expect possible delays or surface flooding in places.

Tips for safe driving on your summer holiday

Drive to the conditions, allow plenty of time and take regular breaks to stay alert.

• Be patient when driving this summer so everyone can relax and enjoy the holidays together.
• Keep a safe following distance from vehicles in front so you can stop safely.
• Drive to the conditions – whether it’s the weather, the road you’re on, the time of day or the volume of traffic on the roads.
• Take regular breaks to stay alert.
• Allow plenty of time. You’re on holiday, no need to rush. 

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

With strong winds forecast for the city, Auckland drivers are urged to take extra care on the Auckland Harbour Bridge tomorrow (Friday, 27 December).

A wind alert has been issued for tomorrow, between midday and 8 pm. Wind gusts of 90 – 95 km/h are forecast.

To ensure safety, speed limits on the bridge may be reduced, and lanes on the bridge could close if wind gusts reach threshold levels.

This may see traffic reduced to only one lane in each during the amber alert as the bridge’s southbound clip-on lanes are currently closed for maintenance. 

Motorists must drive to the conditions and pay attention to electronic message boards on the motorway. These will show if reduced speed limits, lane closures, or a full closure (depending on wind thresholds) are in place.

If winds are strong and the weather is bad, drivers of high-sided vehicles and motorcyclists should avoid the Auckland Harbour Bridge and use the western ring route on State Highways 16 and 18.

Keeping road users safe and protecting the bridge are a priority. Decisions to lower speeds, close lanes, or close are carefully considered.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi will continue to work closely with Metservice to monitor conditions and ensure decisions are based on up-to-date and accurate information on predicted and current wind speeds.

Drivers are encouraged to check road and weather conditions before they travel:

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Drivers hitting the road today and tomorrow are urged to check road and weather conditions before they travel.

The Metservice has issued a series of weather warnings around the country.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in place for this afternoon and evening, covering the Canterbury High Country, North Otago, Central Otago, Southern Lakes, Dunedin, Clutha, Southland, Fiordland.

A Strong Wind Watch has been issued for Kapiti Coast, Wellington, and coastal Marlborough from early Friday morning until early Friday afternoon. Southerly gales are forecast.

Further north, a Strong Wind Watch will apply to coastal areas of Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne/Tairawhiti on Friday afternoon and evening, and a Heavy Rain Warning is in force for Gisborne/Tairawhiti from early Thursday morning to early Friday morning.

Drivers travelling over the holiday period must be prepared for challenging driving conditions in these areas and take proper precautions.

Heavy rain increases the risk of slips and flooding, and strong winds mean drivers of high-sided and towing vehicles, and motorcycles must take extra care in exposed areas.

Be ready for unexpected hazards and be aware that bad weather can see roads closed at short notice.

Check the weather and road conditions before you head off and allow extra time for your journeys.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency