Category: Transport

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:

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A stretch of State Highway 3 at Waitara in Taranaki will be closed for a few nights next month as the road gets its final seal applied.

The work, on SH3 between Nelson Street and Bayly Street, will take place between 8 December and 12 December.

Crews will be working between 8pm and 6am Sunday to Thursday.

During the work, the road will either be completely closed to traffic or down to one lane.

• Sunday 8 December and Monday 9 December: The southbound lane of SH3 between Princess Street and Nelson Street will be closed from 8pm, reopening at 6am each morning. The northbound lane will remain open during this time with a temporary speed limit of 30km/h in place.
• Tuesday 10 December: Both the southbound and northbound lanes of SH3 between Princess Street and Nelson Street will be closed to all traffic from 8pm til 6am the following morning.

A detour through Waitara will be in place during these closures. The detour will add up to 5 minutes to journey times.

• Wednesday 11 December: The final night of work will see SH3 between Bayly Street and Nelson Street closed to all traffic from 8pm Wednesday 11 December to 6am Thursday 12 December. A detour along Princess and Bayly Streets will be in place.

The detour will add up to 5 minutes to journey times.

Last year we rebuilt sections of SH3 before and after the Princess Street intersection to allow for the installation of flexible median barrier and to ensure the highway provides reliable journeys.

We now need to come back and complete a second coat seal on these stretches of SH3. It’s standard to revisit a newly built site months later to lay a second seal to the road. This process further improves the resilience of the road surface.

We understand that the closure of this section of SH3 and detour will be an inconvenience for the local community and everyone who uses this stretch of road. Thank you to all road users for your patience and for planning your journeys.

In the event of poor weather, works may be delayed.

SH3 Waitara to Bell Block safety improvements 

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Roading crews will be onsite over the coming weeks on State Highway 1, south of Hunterville and on State Highway 54 near Vinegar Hill, carrying out a range of maintenance work.

SH54 maintenance work

Road maintenance is planned for SH54 between Waituna West and the intersection with SH1.

The fortnight of work is scheduled to start on Wednesday 27 November and crews will be onsite between 6am and 6pm each day, including Saturdays.

A full daytime road closure will be in place from Waituna West to the SH1 intersection, with road users asked to detour along SH1, then SH3.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises road users that this daytime detour is expected to add between 15-30 minutes to journey times. Please plan your trip accordingly.

Between 6pm and 6am, the road will be open and a 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place at work sites for safety. The road will also be open on Sundays.

The work includes a road rebuild, drainage improvements, resurfacing and general maintenance.  A daytime road closure allows crews to complete this work as efficiently and safely as possible.

Access to all local properties and businesses will be available throughout these works, managed by our crews onsite. Residents needing access are asked to speak to crews onsite who will be able to assist.

SH1 maintenance work

A fortnight of road rebuild and drainage improvement work is planned on SH1 just north of Rata, near Hunterville, from this Thursday 14 November.

Crews will be onsite from 6am to 6pm weekdays. During work times, a section of SH1 on the passing lane near Rata will be under stop/go traffic management, with delays of 10-15 minutes expected.

The road will be open to two lanes outside work hours, with a temporary speed limit of 30km/h in place.

Access to all local properties will be available throughout these works, which will be managed by our crews onsite.

The purpose of this work is to strengthen this section of road and improve its long-term condition. Crews will return in about 12 months to add the second coat of seal.

Thank you

Both projects are weather dependent, and if changes to the work programme are needed, road users will be advised as quickly as possible. Keep up to date with high impact work sites on Journey Planner

Thank you for your patience and understanding while we complete this work to rebuild and improve our state highway network, strengthening the long-term condition of the road.

Information about the 2024/2025 road maintenance season(external link)

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

With weather warnings and watches in place for the Top of the South Island, drivers must take extra care on the roads tomorrow (Thursday 14 November).

With weather warnings and watches in place for the Top of the South Island, drivers must take extra care on the roads tomorrow (Thursday 14 November).

State Highway 60 in Tākaka/Golden Bay and State Highway 6, Hira to Rai Valley, are set to get a drenching.

The Metservice has issued a Heavy Rain Warning for Tasman, west of Motueka, and a Heavy Rain Watch for the Bryant and Richmond Ranges. The alerts apply from early Thursday morning to late Thursday night.

It means drivers must be prepared for wet weather driving conditions and the hazards it brings – heavy rain increases the risk of slips, rockfalls, and localised flooding.

Road users must drive to the conditions, reduce speed in slippery conditions, increase following distances, avoid sudden braking, and use headlights if visibility is poor.

Because bad weather can close roads at short notice, it is also advisable to check road and weather conditions before you travel:

Highway conditions – Nelson/Marlborough(external link)
Metservice weather warnings(external link)
Driving in bad weather

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A stretch of State Highway 2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway, just south of the airport, will be closed for one night of planned maintenance.

The state highway will close, between the Prebensen Drive and Watchman Road roundabouts from  9pm on Sunday 1 December. This section of road will reopen at 4am on Monday 2 December in time for early morning airport traffic.

Crews will be working on Ahuriri Estuary Bridge, next to the old bridge estuary walkway.

The work involves completing joint repairs on the bridge.

A signposted detour will be in place during this closure, for all traffic, including heavy vehicles. Traffic will be detoured down Meeanee Quay, Pandora Road, Hyderabad Road and Prebensen Drive, before rejoining Hawke’s Bay Expressway. The detour will be in reverse for northbound vehicles.

Please expect delays of between 5 and 10 minutes as a result of the detour.

If the works are postponed, a contingency date of Thursday 5 December is available.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) thanks all road users for their cooperation in taking the detour, and by carrying out the work over one night, hopes to minimise disruption to travellers.