Category: Transport

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is urging drivers travelling throughout Auckland and Northland to be extra cautious over the next 24 hours with heavy rain and wind warnings in place.

Metservice has issued a number of warnings for the regions:

• Northland: From 3pm Monday til 10am Tuesday – heavy rain and severe thunderstorms forecast. From 11pm Monday til 8am Tuesday – severe thunderstorms forecast. From 1am til 8am Tuesday – strong winds forecast.
• Coromandel Peninsula: From 6am til 9pm Tuesday – heavy rain forecast.
• Auckland and Great Barrier Island: From 4am til 4pm Tuesday – heavy rain forecast. From 4am til midday Tuesday, strong wind is forecast.

Crews will be closely monitoring the state highways while these warnings are in place.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is advising all road users to take extreme care, especially high sided vehicles and motorcyclists in the wind and for those who come across any surface flooding, from rising rivers and streams nearby.

It’s really important to drive to the conditions, adjust your speed and following distance when you need to and be alert for the possibility of surface flooding or debris on roads.

Please stay alert when approaching road works where crews may still be work. Other areas which may not have crews currently working may still have temporary traffic management or speed limits in place – please adhere to those speed limits.

Most importantly  – drive to the conditions; if they change, reduce your speed.

Please also expect short-notice closures should conditions worsen and keep an eye on the NZTA Journey Planner for any changes.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A strong wind warning is in place for Auckland Harbour Bridge over the next 24-48 hours.

Metservice has a number of strong wind, heavy rain and severe thunderstorm warnings in place for Northland; Auckland and Coromandel.

That includes the Harbour Bridge and the possibility of 75-85 km/h winds in the area between 10am and 4pm tomorrow (Tuesday).

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is urging bridge users to be careful when driving over the bridge and be prepared for the possibility of short-notice lane closures and reduced speeds to ensure the safety of people using the bridge.

NZTA expects the bridge to remain in 4 x 4 lane configuration during the peak traffic hours tomorrow morning and evening.

Keeping road users safe and protecting the bridge are a priority. Decisions to lower speeds, close lanes, or close are carefully considered.

Other warnings in place for the upper North Island:

• Northland: From 3pm Monday til 10am Tuesday – heavy rain and severe thunderstorms forecast. From 11pm Monday til 8am Tuesday – severe thunderstorms forecast. From 1am til 8am Tuesday – strong winds forecast.
• Coromandel Peninsula: From 6am til 9pm Tuesday – heavy rain forecast.
• Auckland and Great Barrier Island: From 4am til 4pm Tuesday – heavy rain forecast. From 4am til midday Tuesday, strong wind is forecast.

Crews will be closely monitoring the state highways while these warnings are in place.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is advising all road users to take extreme care, especially high sided vehicles and motorcyclists in the wind and for those who come across any surface flooding, from rising rivers and streams nearby.

It’s really important to drive to the conditions, adjust your speed and following distance when you need to and be alert for the possibility of surface flooding or debris on roads.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is reconstructing the Tucker Beach Road intersection near the Shotover River towards the end of January.

The SH6 milling and asphalting will be completed out at night over a fortnight – Sunday, 26 January to Thursday, 6 February, 8 pm to 6 am – to minimise daytime delays and disruptions.

• Crews will be working Sunday – Thursday nights with Friday and Saturday nights off. Work is weather dependent so if it rains, it will be pushed out for that night.
• Please take care around crews and factor in up to ten minutes for the Stop/Go operations.

To be followed by…

Soon after work will start on the Humphrey St intersection, near the Kawarau River, from Sunday, 9 February, to Friday, 21 February also for a fortnight overnight – 8 pm to 6 am.

Given the residential housing in this area, crews will be doing their best to reduce any vibrations or noise. The road pavement in this area has now reached the end of its serviceable life and given the increasing traffic volumes on this section of SH6, the new pavement mix will be stronger than the existing material, says Peter Standring, Maintenance Contract Manager for NZTA in Central Otago.

• Crews will be working Sunday – Thursday nights with Friday and Saturday nights off. Work is weather dependent so if it rains, it will be pushed out for that night. Drivers will need to factor in some extra time for the stop/go operation. The site will operate under a reduced 30 km/h during the daytime.

NZTA thanks all wider Queenstown drivers for their patience while these worn-out pieces of highway are replaced, and work continues at the entrance to the town.

Work around the Frankton Roundabout

Meanwhile the work to improve connectability and access in and out of Queenstown at the SH6 and SH6A Frankton roundabout continues apace with some nights needed for night work to minimise daytime disruptions.

• SH6 Kawarau Road one night of work ahead of stormwater upgrades: 
  • Tuesday 14 January, 10 pm to Wednesday morning, 15 January, 5.30 am between the roundabout and the Frankton Bus Hub.
• SH6 Frankton-Ladies Mile Highway, 13 nights of work:
  • Sunday, 19 January to Friday 31 January between Grant Road and the Frankton Roundabout (no work on Friday or Saturday nights) 10 pm – 5.30 am at night.
  • This work involves almost a kilometre of road marking on Frankton Road and removing all the power lines and poles on that stretch of highway, with two hundred road cones no longer needed once it is done.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

This week’s night closures for resealing on State Highway 2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway have been postponed due to the forecast rain.

However, the closure on this Wednesday night (22 January) between Meannee Road and Pākōwhai Road/Links Road roundabouts will still take place 8pm and 5am, as the barrier installation planned at this location is not weather dependent. 

The new dates for resealing are:

From Monday 27 to Friday 31 January, sections of SH2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway will be closed from 8pm to 5am each night. The work will be finished by 5am on Saturday 1 February.

• 27 – 29 Jan – Between Prebensen Drive and Taradale Road roundabouts, closed for 3 nights. Local road detour suitable for all vehicles.
• 30 Jan – Kennedy Road on ramp, closed for 1 night. Local road detour suitable for all vehicles.
• 30 – 31 Jan – Between Meeanee Road and Pākōwhai Road/Links Road, closed for 2 nights. Local road detour not suitable for heavy vehicles.

SH50 Links Road resealing – no change

At this stage, weather is not expected to disrupt the resealing of SH50 Links Road and work will go ahead as planned on Friday night.

The road, between SH50 Korokipo Road and SH2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway, will be closed Friday 24 January and Saturday 25 January, 8pm to 5am each night.

People travelling on SH50 wanting to access the expressway will be detoured through Waiohiki, onto Gloucester Street and right into Meeanee Road before joining the expressway. The reverse will apply for people travelling the expressway who want to access SH50.

The detour is expected to add approximately 5-10 minutes to people’s journeys.

Existing weight restrictions apply to heavy vehicles on Redclyffe Bridge at Waiohiki (8 Tonne) and Ngaruroro River Bridge at Omahu/Fernhill.

If vehicles exceed these restrictions, there is no access during closure times.

NZTA thanks people for their understanding and patience while these important works take place.

SH50 Korokipo Road resealing – new dates

The resealing works planned for Monday 27 January to Friday 31 January along sections of SH50 between Ngaruroro River Bridge at Omahu/Fernhill and Omarunui Road, have been rescheduled to the following week (Monday 3 February to Friday 7 February).

That work will take place during the day between 7am and 5pm. Please expect delays of up to 10 minutes to journey times as sections of the road will be under stop/go traffic management.

SH50 Korokipo Road stop/go	New dates
Monday 27 January	Monday 3 February, 7am to 5pm – stop/go
Tuesday 28 January	Tuesday 4 February, 7am to 5pm – stop/go
Wednesday 29 January	Wednesday 5 February, 7am to 5pm – stop/go
Thursday 30 January	WAITANGI DAY, NO WORK
Friday 31 January	Friday 7 February, 7am to 5pm – stop/go

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 24 January 2025. Please note this Traffic Bulletin is updated every Friday.

Please note this Traffic Bulletin is updated every Friday.

Daily updated closure information(external link)

Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am. Traffic management may be in place before the advertised closure times for the mainline.

NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)

• Southbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 21 January
  • Silverdale southbound on-ramp, 21 January
• Northbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Silverdale on-ramp, 22 January
  • Oteha Valley Road northbound on-ramp, 22 January
• Southbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Constellation Drive on-ramp, 20 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • Oteha Valley Road southbound on-ramp, 20 January
  • Greville Road southbound on-ramp, 20 January
  • SH1 Southbound to SH18 Westbound Link, 20 January
• Southbound lanes between Constellation Drive off-ramp and Northcote Road on-ramp, 19 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • Constellation Drive southbound on-ramp, 19 January
  • Tristram Avenue southbound on-ramp, 19 January
• Northbound lanes between Constellation Drive off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 23 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • Greville Road northbound on-ramp, 23 January
  • Constellation Drive northbound on-ramp, 23 January
• Southbound lanes between Tristram Avenue off-ramp and Northcote Road on-ramp, 21-23 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • Tristram Avenue southbound on-ramp, 21-23 January
• Onewa Road northbound off-ramp, 19-23 January
• Stafford Road off-ramp, 19-23 January
• Curran Street northbound on-ramp, 19-23 January

CENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)

• Southbound lanes between Fanshawe Street off-ramp and St Marks Road on-ramp, 20-21 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • SH1 southbound to SH16 eastbound (Port) link, 20-21 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • Hobson Street southbound on-ramp, 20-21 January
  • Symonds Street southbound on-ramp, 20-21 January
  • SH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound link, 20-21 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
• Westbound lanes between Stanley Street off-ramp and Wellesley Street East on-ramp, 20-21 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 southbound link, 20-21 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
• Grafton Road southbound on-ramp, 20-21 January

SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)

• Khyber Pass Road southbound on-ramp, 20-22 January
• Tecoma Street southbound on-ramp, 19-20 & 23 January
• Northbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 20-21 January
  • Papakura (Diamond) northbound on-ramp, 20-21 January
  • Papakura (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 20-21 January
  • Drury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 20-21 January
• Northbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 19 January
  • Drury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 19 January
• Southbound lanes between Ramarama off-ramp and Bombay on-ramp, 19-23 January
  • Ramarama southbound on-ramp, 19-23 January
• Bombay southbound off-ramp, 19-23 January

NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)

• Southbound lanes between Foster and Trigg Road, 19 January (approx. 6:00pm to 6:00am)
• Northbound lanes between Trigg Road and Foster Road, 19 January (approx. 6:00pm to 6:00am)
• Southbound lanes between Waimauku roundabout and Trigg Rd, 20-23 January (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)
• Northbound lanes between Trigg Rd and Waimauku roundabout, 20-23 January (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)
• Southbound lanes between Access Road and Taupaki Road roundabout, 21 January
• Northbound lanes between Taupaki Road roundabout and Access Road, 21 January
• Te Atatu Road (Loop) southbound on-ramp, 20 January

UPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18)

• Eastbound lanes between Albany Highway off-ramp and Paul Matthews Road on-ramp, 23 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • Albany Highway eastbound on-ramp, 23 January
  • SH18 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 23 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
• Westbound lanes between Paul Matthews Road off-ramp and Albany Highway on-ramp, 20 January
• Paul Matthews Road westbound on-ramp, 20 January

SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)

• Northbound lanes between Queenstown Road off-ramp and Dominion Road on-ramp, 22-23 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • Hillsborough Road northbound on-ramp, 22-23 January
• Neilson Street northbound off-ramp, 21 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
• Rimu Road northbound on-ramp, 21 January
• Southbound lanes between Puhinui Road off-ramp and SH1 links, 19-23 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • Southbound Service Lane (Puhinui Road to Cavendish Drive),19-23 January
  • Puhinui Road southbound on-ramp, 19-23 January
  • Cavendish Drive southbound on-ramp, 19-23 January
  • Lambie Drive southbound on-ramp, 19-23 January
  • SH20 southbound to SH1 northbound link, 19-23 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)
  • SH20 southbound to SH1 southbound link, 19-23 January (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)

GEORGE BOLT MEMORIAL DRIVE (SH20A)

• None planned

PUHINUI ROAD (SH20B)

• None planned

STATE HIGHWAY 22 (SH22)

• None planned

STATE HIGHWAY 2 (SH2)

• None planned

Please follow the signposted detours. NZ Transport Agency thanks you for your co-operation during these essential improvements and maintenance.

Current overnight closure information(external link)

Auckland roads and public transport(external link)

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises essential maintenance and improvement work on State Highway 16 (SH16) in the Port area will begin on Sunday 19 January and continue through to April 2025.

To ensure we make the most of the closure and maximise value for money, our team will use this opportunity to carry out three essential projects. This will remove the need for separate closures throughout the year that may cause a similar disruption.

The work we will be carrying out includes:

• The Strand road rehabilitation – westbound (towards the motorway) lanes on The Strand.
• The Strand Optimisation project – stage 1 improvements – Paving, curb and lane and pedestrian crossing redesign on Stanley Street, The Strand and Gladstone Road.
• Commercial Vehicle Safety Programme (CVSP) – Surface preparation to strengthen the road for the installation of the Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) plates near St Georges Bay Road.

The Strand Optimisation project – stage 1 improvements will begin on Sunday 19 January near Saatchi and Saatchi (123 The Strand) and be carried out Sundays to Thursdays between 9pm and 5am. We expect this to be completed in April 2025. During weeknights there will be lane restrictions, but traffic will be able to travel in both directions along SH16. There will be no street parking available on The Strand while work is being carried out.

The Strand Road Rehabilitation and WIM preparation weekend work will begin on Friday 31 January and be carried out over four consecutive weekends from 9pm Friday to 5am Monday. During the weekend there will be a full westbound closure (towards Stanley Street).  A detour will be in place via Quay Street, Tangihua Street and Beach Road. Alternatively light vehicles can use Gladstone Road, St Stephens Ave and Parnell Rise. These detour routes will add approximately 10 minutes to people’s journeys.

Businesses along The Strand will be open during the weekend; however, street parking will not be available. Public parking at Shipwright Lane, Wilson Parking (70 The Strand) and surrounding streets will still be accessible. People visiting the area are advised to check with the relevant business/es whether access to onsite parking is available. 

NZTA appreciates the impact these works will have on motorists and the community in the area. After careful consideration of several options, our contractors have chosen the quickest and safest way to complete these works. 

Our crews will be working to complete these projects as quickly as possible. Detours will be in place for road users, and access to businesses and residents along SH16 may be affected. We strongly advise businesses in the area to plan their operations with the closure timetable in mind.

People travelling through the area should plan ahead and expect delays. 

To view the latest information, go to www.nzta.govt.nz/asm/summer-works

This work is weather dependent and may need to be postponed. For real-time updates please visit www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)

NZTA appreciates everyone’s patience and understanding while we complete these important works.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Accessing the Koromiko caravan park near Picton is about to get easier and safer.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi will be building a new right turn bay at the Freeths Road/State Highway 1 intersection at the end of this month.

Road crews will be on-site for around eight weeks with work to begin on 27 January and to continue until 28 March – weather permitting.

The turning bay is required as part of consent conditions for a new campground NZ Motor Caravan Association is establishing on Freeths Road. NZTA/Waka Kotahi has been working with the NZMCA on the project.

The construction of the right turn bay will see the southbound lane of State Highway 1 widened between Picton Golf Course and 100 metres south of Freeths Road. A flush median will extend from the right turn bay to Picton Golf Club.

The work will predominantly be completed at night from Sunday to Thursday between 7 pm and 6 am under stop/go traffic management.

Drivers can expect delays of approximately five-minutes when driving through Koromiko while this project is completed. Road users, especially those with ferry connections in Picton, should allow extra time for their journeys.

Residents close to the work site may experience some noise, lights, and vibration while the work is being undertaken. Our contractors will do their best to minimise disruption where possible.

With State Highway 1 Picton to Tuamarina carrying over 6,000 vehicles daily, the new turning bay will make it safer for turning traffic to enter Freeths Road.

Road users are also reminded of other maintenance work that will be carried out around the same time on other sections of State Highway 1, including SH1 Grove Road and SH6 Nelson Street roundabout; State Highway 1 and Main Street roundabout, and SH1 Weld Pass.

Road users are urged to check NZTA journey planner for road work information and allow extra time for travelling between Picton and Kaikoura.

Works schedule and Location:

Construction of the turning bay will be in three stages:

• Stage 1:
  • This focuses on the section North of Freeths Road planned from Monday 27 January to late February.
• Stage 2 and 3:
  • This will be on the South of Freeths Road and Freeths Road itself and is planned from late February to late March. During stage three work will be undertaken during the day with two lanes open (contraflow) with traffic only stopped when vehicles need to exit from Freeths Road. Day work will be from Monday to Friday between 6am to 7pm.
• A 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place on this section of SH1 during these works. During stage three, the temporary traffic management to allow vehicles to exit Freeths Road will remain in place outside of work hours including weekends.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Work will begin next Monday night (20 January) to reduce the risk of slips on State Highway 59 north of Pukerua Bay.

It is the next stage in ongoing rockfall protection on the route between Pukerua Bay and Paekākāriki and is near the site of a major overslip repair completed in 2022.

Contractors will be on site from Monday, 20 January through until the end of March. Abseilers will begin by constructing a safety barrier on the southbound lane to catch potential rockfalls, preventing them from reaching the road.

The intention is to further reduce the risk of slips and rockfalls on the highway and improve its resilience and reliability for drivers. On average, over 7,000 vehicles use the highway daily.

The work will affect traffic flows on the route, with stop/go traffic management in place at the work site on weekdays, and a temporary 30 km/h speed limit at nights and on weekends.

Drivers should allow extra time for their journeys or use State Highway 1 Transmission Gully (Te Aranui o Te Rangihaeata) as an alternative route.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi and the Wellington Transport Alliance thank drivers for their patience and cooperation while this essential state highway work is completed.

Works Schedule and Traffic Management:

• Monday, 20 January until the end of March
  • Monday, 20 January: Stop/Go traffic management, 10 pm – 2 am (for site set up)
  • Weekdays: Stop/Go traffic management, 9 am – 4 pm (no work on weekends)
  • Weekends and nights: 30 km/h temporary speed limits

More information:

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

State Highway 50 (SH50) Links Road in Napier will be closed for two nights later this month for resealing.

The road, between SH50 Korokipo Road and SH2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway, will be closed Friday 24 January and Saturday 25 January.

The work will take place between 8pm and 5am both nights and will be finished at 5am Sunday 26 January.

A detour is available for light vehicles. People travelling on SH50 wanting to access the expressway will be detoured through Waiohiki, onto Gloucester Street and right into Meeanee Road before joining the expressway. The reverse will apply for people travelling the expressway who want to access SH50.

This detour isn’t suitable for High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMV). The detour is expected to add approximately 5-10 minutes to people’s journeys.

This work is weather dependent and contingency dates are Sunday 26 and Monday 27 January, 8pm to 5am each night.

The following week (Monday 27 January to Friday 31 January), sections of SH50 Korokipo Road, between Ngaruroro River Bridge at Omahu and Omarunui Road, will be under stop/go traffic management for resealing.

That work will take place during the day between 7am and 5pm. Please expect delays of up to 10 minutes to journey times.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi thanks all road users for their patience while we improve both sections of SH50, ultimately making them more resilient, safer and efficient for travellers.

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Smoother roads and safer driving are on the cards for users of State Highway 6 Queen Elizabeth II Drive in Nelson.

At the end of January, contractors will be laying new asphalt on two sites on the well-used route. Asphalt is a longer lasting solution and provides a stronger road. It also reduces the amount of future road maintenance needed.

Work will be underway between the Trafalgar and Haven Road Roundabouts from 8 pm to 6 am on the nights of Tuesday, 28, Wednesday, 29 and Thursday, 30 January.

On Tuesday, 28, and Wednesday, 29 January, between 8 pm and 6 am, resurfacing work will be done on State Highway 6 between Trafalgar Street and Wildman Avenue.

This will be done under stop/go and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit.

On Wednesday, 29 January, and Thursday, 30 January, between 8 pm and 6 am, contractors will be working on State Highway 6 between Wildman Avenue and Haven Road Roundabout. 

It will require a full road closure until the resurfacing is completed. A local road detour will be in place in both directions via Wildman Avenue and Hay Street. The detour is expected to add under five minutes to travel times.

QEII Drive is a busy route within Nelson and carries approximately 12,000 vehicles daily. As such, it is critical it is regularly maintained to ensure it remains resilient and reliable for road users.

While the work has been deliberately timed to happen at night when there are fewer vehicles on the road, some traffic delays can be expected until the work is completed. Drivers must plan their journeys accordingly.

Works schedule:

• Tuesday, 28 January and Wednesday, 29 January. 8 pm – 6 am.
  • Trafalgar Street roundabout to Haven Road roundabout.
  • Stop/Go traffic management and 30 km/h temporary speed limit.

• Wednesday, 29 January, and Thursday, 30 January. 8 pm – 6 am.
  • Wildman Avenue to Haven Road roundabout – SH6 CLOSED.
  • Local road detour via Wildman Avenue and Hay Street.
  • Travel delays of under five minutes.

More Information: