The third stage of the huge maintenance project to improve State Highway 1 (SH1) in central and southern Waikato gets underway on Sunday night. From 7pm Sunday 29 September 2024, SH1 will be closed at nights between Piarere and just north of Tīrau (SH1/SH27 intersection).
Work is underway here until 6am Friday 18 October.
The closures won't happen every night - they are from 7pm to 6am, Sunday to Thursday nights. The road will be open from 6am each Friday morning until 7pm Sunday nights.
Residents, businesses and emergency services will have access at all times.
The detour is via SH29 and SH27 as shown in the map attached. The detour is 12.9 kms which equates to approximately an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations for Waikato and Bay of Plenty, Roger Brady, urges motorists to take extra care. “We ask motorists to use the official detours and to go carefully and drive to the conditions while doing so.
“Using sideroads for shortcuts is discouraged, as many of them are not designed for large increases in traffic.”
While this detour is underway at nights, Totman Road will have residents-only access.
“After a brief delay due to a bout of wet Spring weather, the improvement in the conditions this week has meant the foam bitumen stabilising work is underway between Tīrau and Putāruru and also Ātiamuri to Wairakei. This is a key part of the road rebuilding but is very reliant on temperature and dry conditions,” Mr Brady says.
The next section for closure will be between Tokoroa and Ātiamuri and this is expected to last for 6 weeks, starting on Monday 7 October.
A weekly e-newsletter is being produced with further information and people are encouraged to sign up via the website:
SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru maintenance(external link)
Piarere to Tirau SH1 closure map
