Motorists are being advised that the peak time congestion issues on State Highway 2 between Ōmokoroa and Bethlehem are set to continue for some time yet.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says this stretch of the highway network is incredibly sensitive to any changes in traffic flow.
Between the Wairoa Bridge and Bethlehem there are two pieces of work planned or underway.
Currently Tauranga City Council are in the process of installing new kerb and channel at Taniwha Place as part of the Wairoa Cycleway project. This work will be finished by the weekend. The rest of the cycleway work will be completed at night and not cause significant impacts to traffic.
The other piece of work, part of the Waka Kotahi annual maintenance programme, is major rehabilitation of State Highway 2, between the Wairoa bridge and Bethlehem. This work will get underway from this Sunday 14 May until early June.
The work will be completed at night (requiring a road closure on three occasions) and includes completely rebuilding and asphalting the road surface between the Wairoa Bridge and the Bethlehem roundabout.
Due to the narrow width of the bridge approaches, the road will be closed overnight, from 8pm through to 5am, Sunday 14, Thursday 18 and Wednesday 24 May. Light vehicles will be detoured via Wairoa Road, Crawford Road and Poripori Road, through to State Highway 29. Heavy vehicles will be stacked either side of the bridge and piloted through at set intervals.
Between the nights of the closures, up to and including Thursday 1 June, night works will continue between the Wairoa Bridge and Bethlehem under Stop/Go traffic management.
We thank people for their patience while this work is underway. For more information check Journey Planner.
