Plan ahead for smooth journeys on SH3

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is reminding motorists using State Highway 3 between Taranaki and Waikato over the next few months to be prepared for roadworks, with a number of projects aimed at improving the roads, increasing safety and making people’s journeys more enjoyable underway.

• Work will resume to complete a 45-metre long retaining wall at Maikaikatea, just north of the Awakino Tunnel Bypass site, in February. Traffic will be reduced to one lane day and night for a week from the middle of February, then for a further month from the middle of March.
• The 2.3km Awakino Tunnel Bypass is in its final stages and is expected to open by the middle of the year, with traffic down to one lane and controlled by lights at either end of the work site. The lights at the northern end of the project will be removed in March, with those controlling traffic through the single lane tunnel at the southern end of the site remaining until the bypass is open.
• Work is underway to widen a 1.6km section of state highway north of Tongapōrutu to create a northbound passing lane. For the next few months traffic will be reduced to one lane under Stop/Go traffic management during the day, reopening to two lanes of traffic at night.

Traffic management will be coordinated across the three sites to minimise delays for motorists as much as possible.

In addition to these, the usual summer programme of maintenance to ensure the safety and resilience of the state highway network continues, with drivers asked take extra care, reduce their speed and follow directions of traffic management staff and signage when travelling through work sites.

Visit the interactive Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website for the latest information on roadworks, traffic, road closures and detours to help plan your trip.

Journey planner(external link)

Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience.

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey this summer. Keep up to date with:

• Traffic updates: nzta.govt.nz/traffic(external link)
• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTAWaikatoBoP(external link)
• Twitter: twitter.com/WakaKotahiWaiBP(external link)
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)