Waka Kotahi is advising drivers to watch for upcoming ramp closures and detours while scheduled road resurfacing is carried out on State Highway 1 along the 4.8km Rangiriri section of the Waikato Expressway.
Work was to have started this week but a poor weather forecast saw it pushed back to start from Sunday night, 10 September, with the month-long programme also changed.
From Sunday evening, state highway traffic will be managed through the worksite with a single lane in each direction, and a temporary speed restriction of 50km/h in place.
The closure of on and off-ramps is necessary at various times to complete the work, requiring local traffic to use alternative routes.
The work is scheduled to be carried out in stages over four weeks. Day and night shifts will operate from Sunday nights to Thursday nights, with Fridays as a contingency, with dates subject to change depending on weather and other factors.
The month-long investigation and remedial works require three dry days in a week for each of the four stages.
The latest schedule with ramp closures which affect local road traffic is:
Week 1: 10 September, southbound lanes closed. Rangiriri on-ramp closed. Use Te Kauwhata on-ramp to go south.
Week 2: 17 September, northbound lane closed. Te Kauwhata off-ramp closed. Use Rangiriri off-ramp to leave highway to go to Te Kauwhata, Rodda Road, Rangiriri, Glen Murray Bridge.
Week 3: 24 September, southbound lanes closed. Te Kauwhata on-ramp closed, Rangiriri off-ramp closed. Use Rangiriri on-ramp to go south, Te Kauwhata off-ramp to exit.
Week 4: 1 October, northbound lanes closed. Rangiriri Interchange off-ramp closed. Use Te Kauwhata off-ramp to leave highway to go to Te Kauwhata, Rangiriri, Glen Murray Bridge.
Local drivers are urged to watch out for ramp closures and follow all signage. SH1 travellers are asked to temporary 50km/h speed restrictions, merge early and watch for a changing road layout.
Once the remedial works are completed all lanes will be open to traffic under a 70km/h temporary speed restriction until the final surface is applied next summer. This time is required for the new surface to settle.
Waka Kotahi thanks everyone in advance for their patience while this important work is completed.
