For Coromandel residents, businesses and visitors a functional state highway network in and around the district is vital for daily life. That’s why it’s important we prioritise the work to ensure a resilient network that continues to provide those all important connections.
The endless coastline and bush clad interior that define the Coromandel district and drive its economy also have a significant impact on its roading network.
State Highways 25 and 25A are vulnerable because of the unstable natural environment, and exposed coastal areas. There are few routes across the peninsula, most of which are affected by slips, while coastal areas are prone to flooding and inundation.
In recent years, and with increasing frequency, extreme weather events have impacted access to and around the Coromandel Peninsula, in particular during the summer of 2023 when the network was battered by cyclones Gabrielle and Hale.
While the slip which closed SH25A was the most significant, there were more than 50 other major slip sites as well as damage caused by surface flooding at multiple locations around the peninsula, leaving the network in a fragile state.
Since then NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has been delivering a programme of work to repair this damage as quickly as possible.
Alongside this work NZTA works to maintain the highway and has an active highway bridge maintenance, strengthening and replacement programme. .
The Coromandel state highway network suffered extensive damage and was left in a fragile condition after the extreme weather events of early 2023.
With SH25A closed for most of 2023, work on SH25 was carefully managed and prioritised to minimise further disruption to peoples’ journeys around the peninsula.
During 2023 we completed work at 32 sites along SH25/SH2. We also prioritised work on SH25A while it was closed clearing slips, replacing 23 culverts, fixed 5 major slips and undertaking crucial road maintenance along the rest of SH25A to ensure the entire corridor is safe and more resilient.
Since February 2024 teams have been working at multiple locations on SH25 around the peninsula, and on highways leading to the district.
To minimise disruptions for road users, the works have been delivered in a coordinated manner so traffic continued to flow by balancing speed of delivery against disruption to road users.
By March 2025 damage at more than 100 locations around the peninsula had been repaired with only a handful of sites to be completed.
It is expected that all recovery works will be completed before summer 2026/27.
The region is benefiting from these works as a result of engaging with several local suppliers.
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Work underway to stabilise the large slip above SH25 at Ruamahunga
Our contractors worked in a cage suspened by a crane to stabilise an underslip near Wharekaho, pictured in January, and work neared completion in late March
The replacement of Pepe Stream Bridge is a priority for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
The Pepe Stream Bridge business case to explore replacement options has been completed and approved. We are now in the next phase of project development, which is called 'pre-implementation' and includes detailed design, consenting and property investigation.
NZTA will continue to keep the community informed as we work through this process. You can find the latest information on the Pepe Stream Bridge replacement project page.
Pepe Stream bridge replacement project
CloseWork will begin later this year at the Boundary Creek Bridge on the Thames coast north of Te Mata.
The bridge deck and beams, known together as the superstructure, are ageing due to sea salt spray and need to be replaced.
The bridge was reduced to a single lane in 2023 due to its condition and will revert to two lanes once a new bridge deck is installed and its abutments repaired and strengthened.
This work will also mean the slow traffic bay on the southern bridge approach will be restored.
Replacing bridges such as this one in areas with a very narrow road corridor invariably involve some road closures.
Our project team is considering a range of construction options for getting this work done efficiently and safely, within the available budget, while minimising disruption to road users. We will ensure the community is kept updated about this project.
CloseSH25A Taparahi rebuild
Hikuai River Bridge
Waiwawa River Bridge
Waiomu Stream Bridge
Maukoro Bridge
Kereta Hill retaining wall
Ohinemuri River (Mataura) Bridge
Cloudburst Culvert
Grahams Stream Footbridge
Grahams Stream Footbridge
A new approach to setting speed limits on New Zealand roads has been finalised by the Government and came into force on 30 October 2024.
SH25A is a state highway that sits within the top one percent of the most dangerous state highways in New Zealand. This means, it has the highest number of deaths and serious injuries per kilometre of road and is high risk for people using the road.
In the ten-year period between 2013 and 2022 there were 6 people killed and 35 seriously injured. Most of the crashes were related to loss of control and speed.
This is a vital strategic route for the Thames-Coromandel community. The route is narrow and hilly, with many corners and steep drop-offs. When closed, the detour route is nearly 100km, adding well over 90 minutes to the journey.
Due to the urgency of some speed limits related to specific operational needs, we progressed the SH25A speed limit via an alternative process, separately from the Interim State Highway Speed Management Plan.
From Monday 19 February 2024, the new permanent speed limit for SH25A, between Kōpū and Hikuai, is 80km/h. This speed limit has been approved by the Director of Land Transport.
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