A reminder a stretch of SH3 at the Vogel Street / Woodlands Road bend will be closed for 5 weeks from today, as the new Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū-Tararua Highway roundabout is completed.
The road is closed from today (24 February) and is expected to reopen by Sunday 30 March.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi acknowledges the closure will be frustrating and stresses that access to the Woodville township and its businesses will remain open during the closure period.
Two detours will be in place – through Pinfold and Oxford Roads for light vehicles and through Pahiatua Track via Tay and Station streets in Woodville for heavy vehicles exceeding 30 tonnes in weight.
View larger detour map [PDF, 651 KB]
The detours are expected to add less than 5 minutes to the journey times for light vehicles and up to 20 minutes for heavy vehicles.
Heavy vehicles, up to 30 tonnes in weight, will also be able to take the Saddle Road detour. If the weight of the vehicle exceeds 30 tonnes, the Pahiatua Track should be used. The reason for this restriction is the Oxford Road bridge and corresponding weight limit.
For heavy vehicles using the Pahiatua Track, a temporary addendum has been issued allowing HPMV permit holders to use the section of SH57 between Aokautere and Ashhurst during the Woodville closure.
During the closure period, construction teams will connect the new roundabout to the existing roads, working onsite between the hours of 5am and 8pm.
In addition to the roundabout work, asphalt resurfacing works on a section of SH3/ Vogel St have been coordinated at the same time as the roundabout construction to help minimise overall disruption to road users and the community.
Between Monday 24 February and Wednesday 5 March, stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place on the section of SH3/ Vogel St between Hampson St and Grey St, with crews working from 6am to 6pm Monday to Friday. Delays of up to 10 minutes are expected. During these works, SH3 remains open and access for residents and to businesses remains.
“Once this work is finished, there’ll be a safe, reliable connection between Woodville and the new highway. It will also mark a major milestone as the whole project draws ever closer to completion,” says project spokesperson Grant Kauri.
For more information about the Te Ahu a Turanga project, please head to:
