Category: Transport

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Work has begun on one of the last recovery projects in the White Pine Bush area on State Highway 2 between Napier and Wairoa.

Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) alliance crews, on behalf of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, have been working to restore access through the area after Cyclone Gabrielle caused extensive damage to the road and numerous sites alongside it.

Tangoio Falls Reserve Underslip – Active

Crews have started work just south of White Pine Bush above Tangoio Falls Reserve.

There, Cyclone Gabrielle damaged two retaining walls on the steep slope: a small timber crib wall and a mortared rock wall. During the next few weeks, crews will be stabilising sections of the retaining walls with ground anchors and shotcrete.

Much of this work will be done by workers abseiling, using the guardrails to abseil down to the site beneath the road. This site will be down to a single lane under a short stop/go until the work is finished, with the aim to have it back to two lanes for this Christmas.

White Pine Bush Underslip – Active

Crews have been working at a large retaining wall job since March this year. This new wall consists of 220 ground anchors and will be sprayed with concrete once testing is completed. This is expected to be finished before Christmas this year.

Watch this video for more information about this site:

White Pine Bush North – Complete

Two-lane access was recently restored at another site, just north of the White Pine Bush carpark entrance.

There, Cyclone Gabrielle floodwaters had scoured away the ground under the road shoulder, undermining the outside lane. The repair was a retaining wall and rock rip rap to stabilise the ground.

With the site down to one lane while the repair was underway, TREC took the opportunity to work at nights to speed up delivery.

The local contractors all had the capacity and people to work both day and night shifts. From start to finish, the wall was built in a month, halving the expected timeframe.

TREC Hawke’s Bay Project Manager Chris Mahoney says work through the White Pine Bush section means this stretch of road is still down to one-lane.

“We know it’s frustrating seeing those traffic lights, and having to wait. We know it’s been a frustrating time on this stretch of road since the cyclone and we want to reassure people we are working to restore two-lane access as quickly as possible through this area of State Highway 2.

“It’s a priority to ensure disruption is minimised for vital sectors like farming, horticulture and tourism, to connect with local and export markets.

“We are grateful to communities for their support, crews for their hard work and road users for their understanding. We know it hasn’t been easy with so many worksites in operation and we do want to reiterate our thanks to people for their patience,” says Mr Mahoney.

Attached is a map of the worksites at White Pine Bush, Tangoio Falls Reserve Underslip infographic and a before and after of the repair at White Pine Bush North.

View larger map [PDF, 1.5 MB]

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Kilbirnie and Miramar, residents, and those travelling to the area need to be ready for upcoming night works at the intersection of Kilbirnie Crescent, State Highway 1 and Hamilton Road.

Road crews will be on-site on Tuesday, 29, Wednesday, 30, and Thursday, 31 October, to conduct investigations.

They will be digging up the road to check the location of underground services ahead of a planned upgrade of the intersection’s traffic lights early next year.

Knowing what is underground and where is essential to allow proper preparation for the planned upgrade.

The investigation work will be done at night between 9 pm and 5 am when there is less traffic. It will help reduce delays and disruptions for road users.

The intersection will be under stop-go traffic management during the works. Short travel delays can be expected and drivers travelling between the Wellington CBD and the Miramar Peninsula should allow extra time for their journeys, especially when travelling to the airport.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi and the Wellington Transport Alliance thank drivers for their patience and understanding while we work to improve this essential highway intersection.

Further updates on the planned traffic signal upgrades will be provided as the project progresses.

Works Schedule:

• Tuesday, 29 October to Thursday, 31 October, 9 pm – 5 am (weather permitting)
• Four-way stop go at the intersection of Kilbirnie Crescent, SH1, and Hamilton Road,
• Drivers can expect travel delays.
• Two contingency days have been set aside in case of rain – Sunday, 3 November and Monday, 4 November.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises overnight road resurfacing work will take place on State Highway 11 Paihia, between MacMurray Rd and Te Kemara Ave, from Sunday 3 November.

Work will take place between 9pm and 5am.

Between Sunday 3 and Tuesday 5 November, SH11 Seaview Rd will be closed overnight between MacMurray Rd and Kings Rd. A short detour via MacMurray Rd and Kings Rd will be in place.

From Tuesday 5 to Friday 8 November, work will take place on SH11 Marsden Rd between Kings Rd and Paihia Wharf, with stop/go traffic management in place.

No works will take place on Friday and Saturday night.

Work will resume on Sunday 10 November between School Rd and Te Kemara Ave, with stop/go traffic management in place, and is expected to be completed by Friday 14 November.

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

We appreciate there will be increased noise for residents and businesses in the area, and short delays for road users.

This work is weather dependent and may be rescheduled to the next available night in the event of unsuitable weather. Please visit the NZTA Journey Planner website for up-to-date information on these works, including any changes due to weather.

Journey Planner(external link)

For more information about the overall maintenance programme and planned works, visit the Northland State Highway Maintenance Programme website:

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

SH1 resurfacing next week, north of Levin – ahead of schedule Roading crews working to rebuild a stretch of State Highway 1 north of Levin are ahead of schedule and will be resealing a section of the road next week.

The sealing will take place next week over two days – Monday 21 October and then again on Thursday 24 October, between the hours of 9am and 6pm (weather permitting).

The work is being carried out next week to make the most of potential efficiencies in the programme and ensure the site is as free from disruption as possible for the long Labour weekend. As a result of next week’s sealing, the road will be under stop/go traffic management with delays of up to 30 minutes expected.

Crews have been on site at SH1 between Roslyn Road and just north of Heatherlea East Road since the end of September, rebuilding the road and working to improve the area’s drainage. Some maintenance work is continuing at night, under one lane stop/go traffic management. However, to give the new asphalt the best chance of success, the sealing of the road needs to be done during the day, for warmer, drier temperatures.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi understands these potential delays are significant and we strongly recommend road users plan their trips accordingly, try to avoid the area or take alternative routes.

NZTA thanks road users in the area for driving to the conditions and for taking an alternative route where possible. NZTA appreciates at times there will be disruption on our network, and our roadworkers will do their best to complete their work safely and efficiently and keep you moving this summer.

Further information

The night-time road maintenance work of SH1 is expected to finish earlier than the advertised date of Wednesday 18 December (weather permitting), and will provide an update closer to the time. Please note, our crews are completing this rebuild work in sections, and further daytime resealing in this area is expected, with delays. We will communicate further resealing works closer to the time.

Keep up to date with our maintenance work via our webpage here:

The season’s work is funded through the State Highway Maintenance and Pothole Prevention activity classes in the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

State Highway 29 is a key focus as part of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi summer maintenance programme.

Between October 2024 and May 2025 there are 9 significant sites on the Bay of Plenty side of the Kaimai Range where we will be rebuilding and resurfacing the road.

Once complete, drivers will have smoother and safer journeys along this section of the SH29 corridor.

The work is part of the $235 million 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme maintenance investment in state highways across the Bay of Plenty.

To minimise impacts to traffic, most of the works will be carried out in the evening, between 7pm and 6am, on Sunday to Thursday nights (excluding public holidays) with stop/go in place.

Starting this weekend, contractors will begin with a road rebuild near Hanga Road on Sunday 20 October*, for an expected period of 3 weeks, followed by resurfacing near Old Kaimai Road on Sunday 17 November until Thursday 28 November.

A temporary speed limit of 30km/h will be in place and some work sites will have stop/go traffic lights. People should expect delays when travelling through the area.

Meanwhile, further west on SH29, resurfacing work will get underway between Gargan Road and Redwood Lane on Sunday 3 November.

This work will be completed over 5 nights between 7pm and 5am with stop/go and a temporary reduced speed limit of 30km/h at night and 50km/h during the day.

The next round of Kaimai Range closures is also scheduled to take place, starting on Sunday 17 November, from 8pm to 3.30am for 5 nights. The closures are needed to undertake asphalt work and other routine maintenance activities such as clearing drains, sign maintenance and road marking.

The closure points on the western (Waikato) side are at the SH29/24 and SH29/28 intersections and on the eastern (BOP) side at the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection. Emergency services will have access at all times, and residents can access their property from the relevant side of the closure.

Other upcoming work sites scheduled to get underway in December include near Soldiers Road and Kaimai School. View more on these in the map below.

View/download map [PDF, 275 KB]

As much work as possible will be completed ahead of Christmas and a short break over the holiday period. Crews will then get back into it until autumn sets in.

In addition to this, the SH29 Tauriko Enabling Works project is also underway, with lots of activity along the state highway between Belk and Cambridge Roads. 

Tauriko Enabling Works

Meanwhile on the Waikato side, works are also ongoing at the SH1/29 intersection in Piarere. 

SH1/SH29 intersection

People are encouraged to plan ahead and see where disruptive works are by using the NZTA Journey Planner.

NZTA Journey Planner(external link)

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi thanks road users and the community for their patience.

*All dates are subject to weather.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency