Category: Transport

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A stretch of State Highway 2 will be closed for 3 nights next month just south of Wairoa.

The road, between Ohinepaaka Stream and Waihua River Bridges, will close Monday 16, Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 December, between 8pm and 5am each night.

Crews will be finished onsite and the road fully reopened at 5am on Thursday.

There is no viable detour. Emergency service vehicles will be assisted through the closure.

During the closure, crews will resurface the abutment (approach) connecting Ohinepaaka Stream Bridge and the road. This follows recent work to rebuild the road surface.

At the same time, crews will be carrying out work to the deck of the Waihua River Bridge.

The bridge is structurally sound and next month’s work will focus on making repairs to the deck of the bridge.

Once the bridge work is complete, the temporary speed limit of 30 km/h is likely to be lifted.

The 3 night closure is needed because the area is narrow and the asphalt machinery is too large to allow for a single lane of traffic.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi appreciates the closure will be frustrating, however, we wish to thank all road users for their support during this time, while we make the bridges, and the stretch of SH2 between them, more resilient, safer and ultimately more efficient for all road users.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is advising motorists to plan ahead for a series of planned overnight closures on State Highway 18 (SH18) between Trig Road and Hobsonville Road for westbound traffic, as well as the westbound Hobsonville off-ramp.

Work has already started and is expected to continue until Sunday 15 December.

The closures will allow contractors to repair a slip on a small section of land next to the SH18 westbound Hobsonville off-ramp, and will be in place between 8pm and 5am on the dates below.

Please note this work is weather dependent and may change from advertised dates below. Check the NZTA Journey Planner (journeys.nztya.govt.nz(external link)) for real-time updates.

SH18 full westbound closure between Trig Road and Hobsonville Road

• Wednesday 4 December
• Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 December
• Sunday 15 December

There will be a detour in place for westbound traffic via Trig Road and Hobsonville Road.

SH18 Hobsonville westbound off-ramp closure

• Wednesday 27 – Thursday 28 November
• Sunday 1 – Tuesday 3 December
• Thursday 5 December
• Sunday 8 and Monday 9 December
• Sunday 15 December

Traffic should use the off-ramp exit at Trig Road and detour via Trig Road and Hobsonville Road. If they miss this exit, motorists can continue on to State Highway 16 before exiting at the Lincoln Road off-ramp to turn around and head back up SH16 to Hobsonville (Westgate).

NZTA thanks everyone for their patience while this important work is completed.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

State Highway 1 (SH1) has reopened between Tokoroa and Kinleith this morning, Wednesday 27 November 2024.

“The final sweeping was finished this morning, and then the road reopened with a temporary speed limit while the new chip seal is bedded in,” says Roger Brady, Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

“The reduced speed will be in place for 4-5 days. Please adhere to the signposted limits – they’re there to keep everyone safe.”

Following its rebuild – the southern part of this section of SH1 was reopened last week, and the temporary speed limits that were in place south of Kinleith will be removed this morning after the new line markings have been completed. (See photo).

Meanwhile, night-works to complete the final sealing of the Tīrau to Putāruru section (which were scheduled to start on 24 November) have been postponed for further road testing.

“To ensure a new road is ready for its final seal, we run a series of tests measuring the rutting, roughness and texture of the pavement layers.  Initial tests did not provide sufficient data, so further testing is needed before we can determine when it’s ready for its final seal,” Mr Brady says.

“We appreciate that postponing this work may be frustrating to local residents, businesses and road users and we’re sorry we can’t provide more certainty around the timing of the final seal works at the moment. We’d like to thank everyone for their understanding as we ensure we’re delivering the highest quality road we can.

“In the meantime, the road is perfectly safe to use, and motorists will already be seeing the benefits of this rebuild section of SH1,” Mr Brady says.

Further north – the first weekend of the closure of SH1 between Putāruru and Tokoroa was upset by vandals.

“Many detour signs were pushed over and detour guides were turned around – resulting in a potentially dangerous situation for road users and workers. In addition, the confusion caused some road users to have longer journeys than they should have.

“There has already been a lot of poor driving happening on the detours, and we have been in discussions with the local police who will be increasing their presence on these road. Additional fixed signage is being put up on detours warning of the increased traffic.

“NZTA wants everyone to get where they’re going safely, so please take care and drive to the conditions and the road environment,” Mr Brady says.

More information on this project, and updates on our next steps, can be found at nzta.govt.nz/t2w 

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A planned road rebuild for State Highway 6 Whangamoa Saddle is set to begin next week.

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.

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, 7 am to 5:30 pm, under stop/go traffic controls. Drivers will need to factor in around 10-minute delays through this site.

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

People driving between Nelson and Blenheim should allow an extra 45 minutes for their journey. This is especially important for people with medical appointments in Nelson or Blenheim or those with Picton ferry connections.

While this work will be finished before the Christmas/New Year’s Holiday, more repairs are planned on the route next year.

Contractors will return to State Highway 6 Whangamoa Saddle in February to complete more maintenance work under a night closure. Updates will be provided when the schedule is finalised.

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

Detours will be in place for 5 nights next month as crews work to resurface parts of State Highways 50 and 51 in Napier.

The work will be carried out between 9 December and 14 December. Crews will be onsite each night between 8pm and 5am.

• SH51 Hyderabad Road between Taradale Road and Prebensen Drive will close during this time while crews asphalt this stretch of road.
• SH50 Prebensen Drive between Hyderabad Road and the Hawke’s Bay Expressway roundabout will also close during this time while crews reseal this stretch of road.

Work is expected to be complete by 5am on Saturday 14 December – weather dependent.

Detours will be clearly signposted each evening for road users.

Please expect a delay of up to 5 minutes added to journey times.

These reseals and asphalting will boost the resilience, safety and ultimately efficiency of travel on these roads.

Crews will also complete road sweeping and line marking during the closures.

SH51 work at Awatoto

Meanwhile, from 2 December, crews will be at SH51 between Waitangi Road and Ellison Street to apply a final seal to the road.

See this earlier traffic bulletin

The road will be closed between Waitangi Road and Ellison Street. During this work, a detour will be in place.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A stretch of State Highway 50 at Mangamauku Stream Bridge just north of Tikokino will be closing for two nights for asphalting.

The road on the southern side of the bridge is being rebuilt from this week, with work expected to continue under stop/go traffic management until mid-December. Rebuilding the road means that the underlying road structure will be removed and replaced with new materials.

As part of that work, the bridge will close overnight on Monday 2 December and Tuesday 3 December while crews asphalt the southern approach (where the bridge connects with the road).

The bridge will be closed between 8pm and 5am both nights, reopening to stop/go traffic management on Wednesday 4 December.

This closure is weather dependent and contingency dates are 4 and 5 December.

A closure is needed at this location to asphalt the small and narrow area, using large machinery, where the bridge surface joins the road surface.

A detour will be available. All southbound road users will be detoured left onto Maraekākaho Road and right onto Mangaroa Road at Bridge Pa and right onto SH2 through to Waipawa where they can then rejoin SH50 via Tikokino Road. The reverse will apply for northbound road users.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises road users to plan their journeys accordingly and factor in the longer travel time.

Access will remain for residents and emergency services.

NZTA appreciates the disruption this closure may cause and is confident overnight closures will minimise the impact.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

This Saturday thousands of cyclists from around the country will be heading to Taupō to take part in the annual Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge.

Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge(external link)

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises anyone driving on SH32, SH41 and SH1 around the lake on Saturday to plan extra time for their journey, please be patient and allow plenty of room when passing bikes.

Those driving on SH1 through Taupō are reminded that the northern section of SH1 East Taupō Arterial is closed until early December, with traffic detoured down Broadlands Road, Ohaaki Road and SH5.

The Gravel Grind course for the Cycle Challenge crosses Broadlands Road twice and Stop/Go traffic control will be in place to give the crossing cyclists priority in both locations. Drivers are also advised to expect heavy traffic and a number of bikes in Taupō itself on event day.

Besides the extra bike traffic on Saturday, drivers around the central North Island should be aware of the event traffic heading to Taupō on Friday and then returning home on Sunday.

Many cyclists travel from the Auckland area for the Cycle Challenge and they are reminded that as part of the SH1 maintenance project that the stretch between Putāruru and Tokoroa is now closed, with detours in place.

There may be other work sites on SH1 so NZTA recommends drivers allow extra time for journeys through the central North Island and we also suggest checking www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link) for the latest traffic and travel information.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

The end of construction is in sight for new roundabouts being built on State Highway 6 near Marlborough Airport.

The end of construction is in sight for new roundabouts being built on State Highway 6 near Marlborough Airport.

The project is delivering improvements to the highway between Woodbourne and Springlands, with work ongoing since the beginning of this year.

It has seen the construction of two new roundabouts. One at the intersection of SH6, Saint Leonards Road, and Bells Road – and a second at the intersection of Tancred Crescent and State Highway 6. Both roundabouts will improve access onto and across State Highway 6

The project is about to enter its final stages, with sealing work planned  to begin at the end of this week and finish in early December.

Both roundabouts will be surfaced with an ultra-fine seal that is best for skid resistance and improving driver safety.

The Bells / St Leonard Roads roundabout will be done first, from 29 November to 1 December during the day and night. A road closure between Jacksons Road and Westwood Avenue will be in place.

Contractors aim to complete sealing works on the State Highway 6 / Tancred Crescent from 3 to 4 December at night to avoid interfering with travellers getting into and out of the airport.

The work at the Bells/St Leonards roundabout is timed for a weekend to minimise the impact on drivers and residents.  Measures will be in place to ensure residents retain access to properties around the St Leonards/Bells Road roundabout. Access will also be maintained through the work areas for emergency services.

Local road detours will be available, and drivers must use the recommended routes. They are the best and safest options.

The detours will mean extra travel time. Drivers must factor this into their journeys.

Residents close to the work site will experience noise, lights, and vibration while the work is underway. NZTA/Waka Kotahi apologises for any inconvenience this may cause.

Works schedule and detour routes

SH6 – Bells and St Leonards Roads Roundabout – day and night road closure:

• 10 pm Friday, 29 November to midnight Sunday, 1 December
• SH6 CLOSED between Jacksons Road and Westwood Avenue.
• Detour via Old Renwick Road and Murphys Road. If travelling from Blenheim, detour via Murphys Road, Old Renwick Road, Jacksons Road onto the existing SH6 one-way closure.
• Access into the Airport and NZ Defence Force base via Jacksons Road.
• All heavy vehicles need to use Hutcheson Street (not Murphys Road).
• People travelling between Nelson and Blenheim are recommended to use SH62 and SH1 and avoid SH6 and Woodbourne.

View larger image [PNG, 398 KB]

SH6 – Tancred Crescent roundabout (outside the Airport) – night works:

• Weekday night works planned for early December (currently scheduled for Tuesday 3 and 4 December, with the following week Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 December contingency)
• Please note dates may change if there is bad weather.
• Tancred Crescent (entry into the airport and base) will be CLOSED.
• The current set up on SH6 will be in place, which is a one direction lane closure between Jacksons Road and Caldwell Road West. (Eastbound direction is closed.)
• Work will take place between 9.00pm and 4.30am, to avoid flight times.
• Emergency services including the fire and emergency based at the airport and emergency flights will always be catered for.
• People travelling from Nelson/Renwick into Blenheim will need to take a detour. The detour will be via Old Renwick Road and Jacksons Road for light vehicles.
• Heavy vehicles will need to take the same route to Anglesea Street, then left onto Boyce Street and onto SH6. Right onto Rapaura Road/SH62, right on Jacksons Road and back onto SH6.

Current detour on SH6/Tancred Crescent Roundabout (please note entrance to the airport both the temporary road out of the airport and Tancred Cres will be CLOSED during the night works while sealing work is underway.)

View larger image [PNG, 400 KB]

More information

SH6 Middle Renwick Road / Tancred Crescent roundabout