Category: Transport

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Work will now begin to progress improvements at two flood-prone sections of state highway in Tairāwhiti.

Two stretches of state highway will be upgraded – State Highway 2 (SH2) at Nesbitt’s Dip and State Highway 35 (SH35) at Rototahe.

Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC), on behalf of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), will continue to work closely with Iwi, hapū and property owners as design is progressed.

TREC Project Manager Richard Bayley says the upgrades will see these stretches of highways raised and drainage improved, boosting resilience and minimising the risk of future flooding.

“Both stretches of highway have been highlighted as critical lifeline areas by emergency responders, Iwi and hapū, and communities.

“Nesbitt’s Dip at Te Karaka on SH2 is a crucial link for freight between Bay of Plenty and the East Coast. Improving the resilience of this area is essential for communities along this state highway and for daily freight travel.

“In addition, improving the stretch of SH35 at Rototahe continues to boost the resilience, safety and ultimately the efficiency of the coastal state highway.”

These two important projects will be delivered within existing recovery funding and add to the work being done on both highways, at Otoko Hill on SH2 and at Hikuwai and Mangahauini on SH35.

Kaitiaki of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki, Pimia Wehi, says the decision to improve SH2 at Nesbitt’s Dip is greatly appreciated by the people of Te Karaka, Puha and Whatatutu and the Iwi of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki.

“This excellent TREC decision will reduce the road closures caused by seasonal flooding in this area and give communities more time to evacuate during major weather events.”

“These essential repairs at Nesbitt’s Dip and Rototahe represent a significant step towards enhancing the resilience of Tairāwhiti’s state highway network, alongside all the recovery work being delivered in the region,” says Mr Bayley.

Photos of the SH35 Rototahe site during the June flooding this year:

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises State Highway 11 will be closed overnight between Ward Drive and Broadview Road in Opua for road resurfacing on Sunday 17 November.

The closure will be in place between 9.30pm and 5am. The detour route for those traveling from Opua to Paihia will be via SH11 to Kawakawa, State Highway 1, State Highway 10 and SH 11 (reverse for travel from Paihia).

The detour is significant and expected to add approximately 35 minutes to a journey between Opua and Paihia.

Those on the last ferry, which arrives at Opua at approximately 10.00pm, will be accommodated through the site.

Access for residents and emergency services will be maintained throughout the works.

This work is weather dependent and in the case of unsuitable weather, will be deferred to the next suitable day. Please visit the NZTA Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)) for up-to-date information on these works, including any changes due to weather.

For more information about the overall maintenance programme and planned works, visit:

Northland State Highway Maintenance Programme(external link)

NZTA thanks everyone for their understanding and support while we carry out this essential maintenance.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

State Highway 1 Weld Pass will be closed Thursday night (7 November) to allow a crashed truck to be recovered and removed.

The truck crash occurred before five am on Wednesday morning – the vehicle overturned and went down a bank south of Blenheim on Weld Pass.

Heavy lifting and heavy towing equipment will be needed to recover the vehicle, and trailer. Its load also has to be removed.

Because of the crash location and the road’s narrowness, a full road closure is necessary to complete the recovery work.

State Highway 1 will be closed between Blenheim and Seddon from seven pm to five am. There will be one opening at midnight to let queued traffic through, and then the road will be closed again.

Access through Weld Pass will be available for emergency services at all times, and the highway will be reopened earlier if the crash site is cleared ahead of schedule. Updates on the highway’s status can be found on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website:

It is recommended drivers detour via the inland route – SH7 to Springs Junction, SH65/SH6 Murchison/Kawatiri Junction, and SH63 St Arnaud/Wairau Valley.

This significantly longer route adds over 90 minutes to travel times between Christchurch and Blenheim. Drivers must factor this into their travel plans, especially those with Picton Ferry connections.

For safety reasons, this vehicle must be removed as soon as possible. NZTA/Waka Kotahi thanks the public for their patience and understanding while this crash scene is cleared.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

With summer officially underway, highway reseals and re-surfacing are also progressing in greater Christchurch, Selwyn District and North Canterbury, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

Highway repairs and reseals generally start around September in Canterbury and run through to late March/early April, making the most of the warmer road and air temperatures which contribute to a successful, lasting sealing process and smoother roads for drivers.

The big shape

Nine lane kms (ie single lanes not a double lane width highway) will be fully replaced and fresh asphalt laid at nine sites in the greater north and central Canterbury area.

An additional 90 lane kms of highway will have a thin layer of asphalt applied/ re-sealed over multiple sites.

Overall the work will start at the North Canterbury NZTA’s maintenance team’s Kaikōura northern border and work south back to Selwyn District and Arthur’s Pass.

How will this affect me?

Of the eight major North and Central Canterbury projects, four will happen overnight, with midnight openings where required and the work well advertised in advance.

• In January/February 2025, work will get underway on SH7 the Lewis Pass route at Weka Pass, Handyside Stream (two sites on SH7, west of the Hanmer Springs turn-off) and SH73 west of Porters Pass.

Road users should keep an eye out for electronic signs warning of delays and timings in the days ahead of these operations.

Four sites have to occur during the day using Stop/Go manual traffic management and involving up to 20 minutes delays.

• These are north of Clarence, SH1, (30 km north of Kaikōura) (February/ March 2025), the Benmore Straight (almost finished as of early November) and Castle Hill, both on SH73, in Selwyn District (currently underway through to December).
• The fourth site is on the Akaroa highway, SH75 Birdlings Flat – underway in the New Year – January/February.

Reseals/less invasive road work

Most of these sites will only involve five-minute delays for drivers and other road users. Places with tighter bends and less room for machinery to manoeuvre, around the Kaikōura Coast, may involve 20-minute delays.

What else?

NZTA’s engineers and road crews will also be working on essential structures like bridges, culverts and retaining walls over the summer. If you see road cones and signs asking you to slow down, even if you can’t see people, please slow down as people may be out of sight but nearby, says NZTA.

Signs asking people to slow down also protect your vehicle and windscreen from flying chipseal as the seal is being bedded in place. Vehicles travelling fast in these circumstances can undo all the good work, so take it easy.

During this summer construction season in greater Canterbury road users should generally expect:

• Five-20 minutes delay per site.
• For long distance journeys during daytime, maybe up to 60 minutes in delays.
• At some sites longer closure times may be needed – up to close to an hour daytimes.
• Longer duration closures will generally occur overnight eg for several hours or a full nightshift. Openings for traffic will be provided if practicable and with consideration for ferry sailings (SH1 corridor via Kaikōura and Blenheim).

“Allow plenty of time for travel over the summer months, check the NZTA Journey Planner website before any long-distance journeys, and be patient around any roadworks and delays encountered,” says NZTA’s System Manager for Canterbury and the West Coast Mark Pinner.

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.  

Quick tips for happy summer travel

Remember, there will be delays on key routes. 

Drivers should check road conditions before they travel:

Always take care when driving through road work sites and follow the temporary speed restrictions to ensure everyone stays safe. Our crews work year-round, they deserve to be safe.

Keeping your speed down where sealing work is underway or has just been completed not only helps chip to settle in the new road surface, it will also prevent stone chips flying into windscreens and protect road workers from injuries.

Leave about two car lengths between you and the car in front, four if the weather is bad.

Even if you can’t see workers on the road or it looks like works are finished when you come across a temporary speed limit sign, safety hazards may still be present. There could be loose chip from a recent re-seal, workers underneath a culvert or bridge or on the side of the road.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Contractors will be hard at work on a key State Highway 60 summer maintenance project this month. 

They will carry out extensive resurfacing work on the Commercial Street in Tākaka, with 10 nights of closures planned from 17 to 28 November.  
 
To keep drivers and contractors safe, the highway will be closed to all traffic between Meihana Street and Motupipi Street from 5:30 pm to 6:30 am. No work will be done on Friday, 22, or Saturday, 23 November.

A local road detour will be available for all vehicles.  

Rob Service, System Manager Nelson-Tasman, says the resurfacing is essential.

“We know the public gets frustrated by road works, but this is actually an important investment to ensure the highway is kept safe and reliable for everyone. A well-maintained highway is a win-win for everyone.” 
  
“We are doing our best to minimise the impact as much as possible. Our contractors will work overnight when there is less traffic, and the road will be open during the day when most people use it,” Mr Service says. 

Once asphalting is complete, road markings will be reinstated under night works with stop/go controls and a 30 km/h speed limit. 

During the night closures, a detour will be in place via Meihana Street and Motupipi Street.  This detour is expected to add up to five minutes to travel times. 

Mr Service says because it is the main route between Golden Bay and Nelson, drivers must be ready for it.

“Please, don’t let the night works catch you out. Factor them into your travel plans and make sure you get to where you’re going on time.”

This work follows on from asphalting work that will be completed during the current night closures on SH60 Tākaka Hill that began on Sunday 3 November.

Works schedule:

• Sunday, 17 November to Thursday, 28 November (excluding Friday 22 and Saturday 23 November), 5:30 pm – 6:30 am.
• The worksite is located on SH60, Commercial Street in the Tākaka township, between Meihana Street and Motupipi Street.
• During the work, the worksite will be closed to all traffic. Road users must detour via Meihana Street and Motupipi Street.
• During the closure access to Buxton Lane will be via Motupipi Street. There will be no access between SH60 and Buxton Lane.
• There will be times when direct access to Junction Street or Riley Street from SH60 will be impacted. To ensure continuous access to these streets during work hours, access from SH60 to one of these streets will remain open. Follow onsite signage.
• Outside of the closure time, State Highway 60 will reopen between 6:30am and 5:30pm but a reduced temporary speed limit of 30km/h will be in place.
• These works are weather-dependent and may be delayed.

Summer Maintenance Season – tips and advice:

• Drivers need to be aware other summer maintenance and resilience works are happening around the region.
• Due to the number of worksites on each corridor we recommend allowing an extra 30 – 45 minutes travel time on State Highway 6 between Nelson and West Coast and State Highway 6 between Nelson and Blenheim.
• We recommend allowing an extra 60-minutes travel time on State Highway 1 between Picton and Christchurch.
• Drivers should check road conditions before they travel as knowing when and where road works are happening means you can time your travel to avoid them or allow extra time for your trip.
• Whenever you come to a worksite, remember that our road workers are doing their best to complete their work and keep you moving. Please be respectful and follow their advice and instructions.

National Land Transport Programme 2024/27. Top of the South regional investment summary [PDF, 230 KB] 

State highway maintenance frequently asked questions

Tips for driving through worksites (video)(external link)

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

The Nevis Bluff spring/summer rockfall scaling programme will shortly get underway, on SH6 between Cromwell and Queenstown, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

The scaling occurs every autumn and spring with abseilers, suspended on ropes, inspecting the rocky face and removing loosened rocks that are hazardous to highway users.

“People should be ready for delays up to about ten minutes and allow some extra travel time for journeys between Cromwell and Queenstown,” says Peter Standring, NZTA Maintenance and Contract Manager in Central Otago.

The work is scheduled to take place over three weeks from Monday, 11 November, through to Friday, 29 November, 8 am to 5 pm weekdays, subject to weather conditions.

“People using the section of SH6 between Cromwell and Queenstown are advised to build in extra time of about 10 minutes as delays will be inevitable while the work is carried out,” says Mr Standring.  

“We know these delays can be frustrating, but we’re asking people to be patient and to understand that they are necessary to ensure the safety of road users, which is our number one concern.”

Abseilers working over the rocky schist faces aim to release rock, loosened by the freezing and thawing winter conditions, in a controlled way when there is no traffic on the highway.

The Nevis Bluff is about half-way between Cromwell and Queenstown – 25 minutes from Cromwell, 35 minutes from Queenstown.

Work on the cycle trail, currently under construction, will be paused for a few days while the abseilers are overhead.

NZTA thanks everyone for their patience and for taking care while this important safety work is completed leading into the busy summer period.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Wairarapa residents and drivers can expect night closures later this month as maintenance works and median barrier repairs are carried out on State Highway 2 between Masterton and Carterton.

Night works are planned from Sunday, 17 November, until Thursday, 21 November. The highway will be closed between Hughes Line and the Norfolk Road/Cornwall Road roundabout from 9 pm to 4:30 am.

Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Alliance Manager, says most of the work will be general maintenance.

“Road crews will complete drainage work, pavement repairs, and replacing signs”.

“They’ll also be repairing the wire rope median barriers, which have been struck twice since they were last repaired in July of this year. It’s great to see the barriers doing their job and protecting drivers from head-on collisions, which are the biggest cause of serious crashes on our roads,” Ms Hilliard says.

Some of the work planned is in preparation for resurfacing, which will be done in the warmer summer months, early next year.

“We’ll take the opportunity to do some road repairs. This will speed up our work when we resurface the road next year.”

Local road detours will be in place while the work is underway.

“A full closure means work crews can do the job much faster. That means much less all-round disruption for drivers.”

The detour will require slightly longer travel times, so drivers must allow extra time for their journeys.

Drivers must remember the detours is on a local roads not the state highway – and ensure they drive to the conditions.

Works schedule and detour route

• Sunday, 17 November to Thursday, 21 November, 9 pm – 4:30 am.
• SH2 CLOSED between the rest area north of Hughes Line and Norfolk Road/Cornwall Road roundabout.
• Local road detour via Cornwall Road and Hughes Line.

View larger detour map [PDF, 68 KB]

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Wellington drivers can expect fewer flooding issues at the State Highway 1 Johnsonville offramp soon.

The southbound offramp will be closed at night for four weeks from Sunday, 10 November, to Thursday, 5 December, for drainage improvement works.

Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Alliance Manager, says drainage at the offramp needs to be improved.

“The area tends to flood during heavy rain. The amount of water coming off the nearby hill is simply too much for the current drains to manage.”

“Installing improved drainage will remove water faster. Not only will this make the offramp safer for drivers, but it will also protect the highway and offramp from water damage,” Ms Hilliard says.

She says the work will be carried out at night when there is less traffic on the road, between 9 pm and  4:30 am – Sunday to Thursday nights. Traffic management will begin setting up from 8 pm.

“We realise this is a much-used offramp, and closing it at night will create some disruption. However, it is the best way to complete the job as quickly as possible. The offramp will be open Friday and Saturday nights,” Ms Hilliard says.

Alternative access to Johnsonville is available. But Ms Hilliard warns it will add to travel time.

“Southbound traffic wanting to get to Johnsonville will have to head south on State Highway 1, take the Centennial Highway exit that connects with Hutt Road, then head north again on State Highway 1 to use the northbound Johnsonville offramp.”

“This is an extra six kilometres, so it’s essential people plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys,” Ms Hilliard says.

Drivers must follow the instructions of road crews and obey all traffic management and temporary speed restrictions in place. This ensures workers and drivers are kept safe.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi and the Wellington Transport Alliance thank road users for their patience and cooperation while this critical state highway maintenance work is completed.

Works schedule and detour map

• Sunday, 10 November to Thursday, 5 December. Sunday to Thursday nights, 9 pm – 4:30 am
• SH1 southbound Johnsonville offramp CLOSED
• Detour route – head south on State Highway 1, take the Centennial Highway exit that connects with Hutt Road, then head north again on State Highway 1 to use the northbound Johnsonville offramp.

More information