Road resurfacing planned for Main Street, State Highway 1 Blenheim

Blenheim’s Main Street is in line for pre-Christmas resurfacing in the first week of December.

The work will see contractors resurfacing State Highway 1 - Main Street between Elzy and Opawa Streets as part of the State Highway Summer Maintenance Programme.

They will remove the existing road surface, complete road repairs, lay new asphalt, and install new line markings.

This work will be under a one-lane closure (northbound lane closed) from Sunday, 1 December, until Thursday, 5 December 2024 – between 6 pm and  6 am.

A local road detour will be available. The highway will remain open to southbound traffic.

The highway will be subject to a temporary speed limit of 30 km/h, which applies outside work hours. Drivers must obey the speed limit. It is essential for the safety of the public and road crews and protects the road and vehicles from being damaged.

The work has been deliberately timed to be done at night when traffic volumes are lower. This helps minimise disruption for drivers and local businesses as much as possible.

State Highway 1 Main Street is a critical transport link, and it carries over 11,000 vehicles daily, so regular maintenance is essential for its ongoing resilience and safety.

Works Schedule:

• Sunday, 1 December to Thursday 5 December. 6 pm to 6 am.
• SH1 Main St, CLOSED to northbound traffic between Elzy and Opawa Streets.
• Northbound traffic detour via Elzy, Kinross and Opawa Streets.
• Northbound heavy vehicles must detour via Alabama Road and Redwood Street. Allow an extra  5 minutes for this detour.
• SH1 remains OPEN to southbound traffic.
• A 30km temporary speed limit will be in place while this work is undertaken and will remain in place outside of work hours.

Summer Maintenance Season - Tips and Advice:

• Drivers need to be aware other summer maintenance and resilience works are happening around the region.
• Due to the number of worksites on each corridor we recommend allowing an extra 30 minutes travel time on State Highway 6 between Nelson and West Coast and State Highway 6 between Nelson and Blenheim.
• We recommend allowing an extra 60 minutes travel time on State Highway 1 between Picton and Christchurch.
• Drivers should check road conditions before they travel as knowing when and where road works are happening means you can time your travel to avoid them or allow extra time for your trip.
• Whenever you come to a worksite, remember that our road workers are doing their best to complete their work and keep you moving. Please be respectful and follow their advice and instructions.
• State Highway Summer Maintenance – Top of the South Island
• National Land Transport Programme 2024/27. Top of the South Regional Investment Summary [PDF, 230 KB]
• State Highway maintenance – Frequently Asked Questions(external link)
• Tips for driving through worksites (video)(external link)