The NZ Transport Agency is advising drivers that the SH2 Rimutaka Hill Road will be closed for on Wednesday night (29 January) for maintenance work.
Transport Agency Regional performance Manager Mark Owen says the closure will be part of a programme of drainage maintenance that will also see work being carried out from 9.30 am – 4.30 pm every day (excluding weekends) until 12 February.
The road will also close overnight on Wednesday 29 January (closing at 8.00 pm Wednesday night and reopening at 5.30 am Thursday 30 January). While the road will reopen approximately every 20 - 30 minutes to allow traffic through, the Transport Agency is urging motorists to put off any non-essential travel on the night of 29 January.
The Transport Agency says that work is needed to improve drainage in the Muldoon’s Corner area, and that drivers should expect delays of up to 10 minutes while work is happening during the day.
“The Rimutaka Hill Road is a vital lifeline into and out of Wellington, and it’s important that we do all we can to keep it in top shape,” says Mark Owen, State Highways Regional Performance Manager for Wellington.
“We are building new culverts to help drain water away from the hill, which will help prevent erosion and reduce maintenance costs for the road. Construction means that traffic will be down to one lane at times and directed by stop/go signs.
“As part of this work, we also need to put in a pipe underneath the road. Digging things up means we have to close the road. To minimise disruption on this important route we’ll be doing this part of the work overnight.”
The Transport Agency says that electronic signs are in place on the Rimutaka Hill Road to advise motorists of the drainage work and the overnight closure on 29 January. Local councils, transport operators and emergency services have also been notified.
Mr Owen also thanked drivers in advance for their patience.
“While we always do our best to do our work outside of peak hours and with as little disruption as possible, we know that roadworks are almost always a bit of pain—particularly on a busy and challenging route like the Rimutaka Hill. On behalf of the NZ Transport Agency, I’d like to thank drivers in advance for their patience and understanding while we do this important work.”
The Transport Agency provides a range of free information on their website or by calling a freephone number so motorists can identify what the highway conditions are like before they set off on their trips.
This information is available at www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic(external link) or by calling the NZTA freephone 0800 4HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49). You can also follow the @nztawgtn twitter feed for updates on road conditions, delays and closures.
The Transport Agency also uses other technology to provide information to enable drivers to make better informed choices about their travel. On The Move is a free service which enables people to sign up for information about crashes, road works and driving conditions on their frequently used routes - to sign up, go to www.onthemove.govt.nz(external link).
