Category: Transport

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

To kick start the New Year, State Highway 5 (SH5) from Oturoa Road west to the South Waikato boundary will be getting a refresh. The 8-week road rebuild will take place 5- 6 days a week from 7am to 6pm beginning Tuesday 14 January. Enabling works are underway this week to get the worksite ready.

Both lanes of SH5 are being rebuilt says Sandra King, Bay of Plenty System Manager at NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).  

“The work involves digging down to remove the existing road pavement and replacing it with new layers.  

“The worksite is almost 2 kilometres long, so motorists should expect some delays during the day, but we’re starting it during the school holidays when traffic volumes are lighter, meaning less disruption for motorists and the community,” says Ms King. 

There will be stop/go in place for the majority of the week as well as lane switches and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h while the work is taking place.  The crews may also be required to work on Saturdays.  

“Our state highway network is essential for moving people and goods around the country, and our work ensures the road is safe and accessible for everyone who travels on it,” 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.  

Also in Rotorua, resurfacing work which started on Tuesday 7 January on State Highway 30 Te Ngae Road, will continue for 10 nights between 8pm and 5am. While the work is taking place the road will be closed and traffic detoured. All traffic travelling north including heavy traffic will be required to turn left at Vaughan Road and follow detours to Ōwhata Roundabout. All southbound traffic will turn right at Ōwhata Roundabout and follow detours to Marino Road/SH30 Te Ngae Road intersection.  

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Resurfacing works planned for the week starting Sunday, 12 January on SH2 between Masterton and Carterton have been postponed due to the unusually cold temperatures we have been experiencing.

Works will be planned as soon as ground temperatures allow us to complete the surface work without compromising quality,” says Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Alliance Manager for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

Night-time road closures will detour onto Cornwall Road and the Hughes Line. (See map below). A further update will be provided once the weather has improved, and new dates have been confirmed. 

These particular works cannot be carried out in colder ground temperatures as it would affect the quality of the surfacing. NZTA requires overnight ground temperatures to be at or above 15 degrees for this work.

Road users are encouraged to check for updates on the highway’s status on the NZTA website once this work gets underway:

Highway conditions – Wellington(external link)

Earlier media release: State Highway 2 Masterton to Carterton – urgent road repairs planned before Christmas

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi would like to thank everyone who travelled on the Auckland motorway network over the summer break for their patience while critical maintenance work was carried out on State Highway 1.

To minimise disruption to road users, NZTA took advantage of lower traffic volumes during the holiday period to replace a bridge joint at Spaghetti Junction and carry out essential maintenance on the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

NZTA Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations, Jacqui Hori-Hoult says our crews on the ground were grateful to all road users who adhered to traffic management in place and showed respect towards the on-site workers, helping to keep everyone safe.

“We acknowledge the work will have caused disruption and delay and we want to thank all road users who were patient and adhered to the lower speeds and traffic management in place while our roading crews were working to make our roads even more resilient.

“We were able to complete critical work and ensure the safety of our teams within closures on some of the busiest sections of the Auckland motorway network. Road users’ compliance was high which is a fantastic outcome for our roads and for the safety of our workers.”

Further maintenance work is scheduled to begin Sunday 19 January in the port area, on State Highway 16 The Strand. This will include full lane closures during the weekend and lane restrictions on week nights.

For a schedule of the SH16 works, please visit:

SH16 Port area summer works – The Strand, Stanley Street and Gladstone Road

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

State Highway 1 Weld Pass will be the first big resurfacing job in Marlborough in the New Year as the state highway summer maintenance season continues in the top of the South Island.

Night works are planned for Weld Pass from Wednesday, 29 January to Thursday, 13 February. Work will be carried out nightly between 7 pm and 5 am.

Allowances are being made for the Waitangi Day holiday. Contractors will stop work at 5am on Wednesday, 5 February and won’t resume work until 7pm on Friday, 7 February. 

Contractors will be carrying out structural asphalt work to strengthen the road surface on a 500m section of Weld Pass. This will include milling, or removing the old surface, before adding new layers. They will also maximise the closure by carrying out other maintenance work including clearing drainage and attending to signage and vegetation.

Mark Owen, Regional Manager Wellington/Top of the South, says Weld Pass must be closed to all traffic while the work is completed.

“Weld Pass is a narrow road with very limited space. Resurfacing work and laying asphalt requires large machinery that occupies a lot of space. It simply isn’t possible to allow traffic through the work site while work is underway.”

“A full closure at night is safer for road crews and the public. It also allows the work to be finished much faster. Doing this sort of the work during the day under stop/go, when there is more traffic would create major delays for drivers. This something we absolutely want to avoid,” Mr Owen says.

While there will be a midnight opening each night to allow queued traffic through the work site, Mr Owen warns the closure will create delays for people travelling between Blenheim and Christchurch.

“It is essential drivers are aware of the closure and factor it into their travel plans.”

“There are no suitable local road detours, meaning the only alternative route between Christchurch and Blenheim is the inland route – Lewis Pass, Murchison, St Arnaud – this is a much longer route and drivers, especially those with Picton ferry connections, must be prepared,” Mr Owen says.

Mr Owen advises travellers that other essential state highway maintenance work will be underway in Marlborough from late January and recommends drivers plan ahead and check the NZTA Journey Planner.

“While the Weld Pass closure is underway, contractors will also resurface two roundabouts in Blenheim, making the most of the lower freight volumes travelling on State Highway 1.”

“Drivers need to keep this in mind. Please, check road conditions before you travel. Be aware of where the road works are so you can plan your journeys properly,” he says.

Other Marlborough State Highway maintenance works

• SH1 Grove Rd and SH6 Nelson St roundabouts resurfacing
  • Sunday 2 February to Tuesday 4 February. 7pm – 5am 
• SH1 Grove Road and Main Street roundabout resurfacing
  • Sunday  9 February to Wednesday 12 February. 7pm – 5am 
• SH1/Freeths Rd intersection, turning bay construction
  • Monday 27 January to Friday 21 March

More information on these projects will be shared soon, before work begins.

Works schedule

• Wednesday, 29 January to Thursday, 13 February, 7 pm to 5 am. No work on the night of Wednesday, 5 February or Thursday, 6 February.
• Full road closure – no suitable local road detours available. An alternative route to Christchurch is via the inland route – St Arnaud, Murchison, Lewis Pass. This is a significantly longer route and has much longer travel times.
• There will be one opening each night at midnight to let queued traffic through the work area. The northbound lane will travel first, followed by the southbound lane.
• These works are weather-dependent, and schedules may change.
• Road users must follow the instructions of contractors and obey all temporary speed limits and traffic controls.

More information

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.