The NZ Transport Agency urges Bay of Plenty and Waikato motorists to leave extra time when travelling this month as work continues on major projects and roadworks.
Transport Agency work crews are out in force making the most of the last of the warm, dry weather to maintain the state highways and progress projects such as the Waikato Expressway and Tauranga’s Maungatapu underpass.
Drivers are likely to encounter speed restrictions and other traffic management which may cause delays and should get in the habit of allowing extra time for their journeys.
For personalised information about driving conditions on their frequently used routes, motorists can check out and sign up to On The Move at www.onthemove.govt.nz.(external link)
For real time information on highway conditions and incidents or to report issues on the network visit www.nzta.govt.nz(external link) call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49) or by following the Transport Agency on Facebook or @nztawaibop on twitter.
Bay of Plenty travellers can also go to www.drivelive.nz/BayofPlenty(external link), a dedicated website that tells drivers what the current travel times are to get to key places.
Roadworks that are scheduled to start in the next week or are currently underway are detailed below to help people plan ahead when travelling.
SH36 Ngongotaha ROAD CLOSURE
A section of SH36 Ngongotaha Rd will be closed next week to allow Police to carry out investigations into a recent crash.
From 10am until 1pm on Wednesday 20 April traffic will be detoured via Western Rd and SH5. The detour will add approximately five minutes to normal travel time.
SH36 Ngongotaha road closure.
Rotorua area
Transport Agency contractors are carrying out road safety improvements around the Rotorua area over the next fortnight and motorists should expect minor delays due to speed restrictions and lane closures
The work involves installing guard rails and carrying out rockfall prevention works. Sites include:
SH35 Maraenui/ SH2 Waioeka Gorge rock scaling works
Transport Agency contractors will be clearing rocks and vegetation this month as part of regular slip and rock fall prevention in the Bay of Plenty.
Stop/ go traffic management, speed restrictions and changes to the road layout will be in place on SH2 in the Waioeka Gorge and on SH35 at Maraenui at times.
SH29/ Takitimu Drive and SH36/Taurikura Drive roundabout upgrade
Motorists are asked to drive with extra care when travelling through the roundabouts over the next month. Tauranga City Council’s contractor is carrying out works and speed restrictions, lane closures and occasional stop/go traffic management will be in place at times from this week.
SH2 between Tauranga and Waihi
Motorists travelling on SH2 between Tauranga and Waihi are urged to drive with extra care as work continues on a major safety upgrade.
A section of highway between Wainui South Road and Sargent Drive is being repaired and widened, and a wire rope central median barrier installed to prevent head on crashes.
Traffic is currently split with works underway in the middle of the two lanes.
Some surfaces are sealed and a 50km/h speed restriction is in place for the safety of workers and to allow the seal to bed in.
People should only expect minor delays but are urged to stay alert behind the wheel as there will be changes to the road layout over the next month.
Tauranga - road reseals
Contractors will be carrying out resealing on various sections of state highway around Tauranga next week. The following road closures and lane closures will be in place:
Cambridge road off ramp from SH2
SH2 Hewletts road
Tauranga road marking
Speed restrictions and traffic management will be in place on several sections of SH2 north of Tauranga and other state highways in the city area over the next fortnight while contractors carry out road marking. Motorists should expect short delays at times and slow moving vehicles in their lane at times.
SH2 Paeroa
Paeroa’s main street will be resealed on Sunday night (17 April) and traffic will be managed through the site. Contractors will be working from 6.30pm on Sunday to 4am the following morning. If the weather is poor the job will be transferred to Monday night. Stop/go will be in place and SH2 traffic may encounter short delays. A 30km/h speed restriction will be in place the following day ahead of sweeping and linemarking.
SH1, Boatie Reserve, Huntly
Asphalt surfacing is to be applied to a recently reconstructed section of SH1 in northern urban Huntly on Monday and Tuesday nights, 18-19 April.
The asphalting of the north-bound lane alongside Boatie Reserve will be done at night, 5pm-5am. There will be no detour, as traffic will be managed past the works using the south-bound lane and shoulder. But some minor delays can be expected.
SH1 Mercer
Waikato Expressway travellers at Mercer may experience delays while asphalt resurfacing works are done on both north and south-bound lanes over six nights this month. There will also be a chipseal work on the Mercer north-bound on ramp. Traffic will be down to single lane in each direction during the night time works, 5pm-6am, any time from Sunday until 22 April, depending on weather.
Cambridge Road – ex SH1
Contractors are this month removing passing lanes on Cambridge Road (the old SH1). The work is part of a package being undertaken following the opening of the Cambridge Section of the Waikato Expressway in December 2015.
The Cambridge Section is now SH1 the old SH1/Cambridge Road will be transferred to Waipa District Council to manage as a local road. The passing lane removal, lane remarking and shoulder widening is expected to happen over the next two weeks and will require traffic management with speed restrictions of 30km/h, raising to 50km/h to allow new chip to bed-in.
Motorists are advised to be aware of loose chip on this section of road.
Additional works will be progressively rolled out over the next 12 months.
Waikato Expressway – Huntly and Rangiriri sections
Work continues at both the Huntly and Rangiriri sites and there are on-going traffic management and speed restrictions in place. Motorists are asked to respect these for the safety of all road users and construction staff.
SH29 – Kaimai Range
A major reseal programme on the Waikato side of the Kaimai Range (SH29) is under way this month. Works are progressing well but motorists are advised to continue to allow an extra few minutes when travelling up the steep Waikato side as there will be fewer passing opportunities. The work will be carried out during week days and is expected to take most of April to complete.
SH1 Putaruru
Roadworks south of Putaruru are under way and may cause minor delays for SH1 travellers until mid-April. The works, between the rail overbridge and vehicle testing station south of Putaruru, will wrap up on 22 April. Contractors will be on site seven days a week, 6am-7pm. Traffic will be managed through the site, and motorists may encounter short delays.
SH3, Te Kuiti
South-bound traffic is being detoured off SH3 in Te Kuiti until 12 May while contractors carry out roadworks. The work includes surface repairs between George Street-King Street and a deep reconstruction of the road between King Street-Awakino Road. The detour is only during the day, from Monday to Saturday, and is suitable for all types of heavy vehicles. It will take traffic via Lawrence St-Taupiri St-King St East and Rora St.North-bound traffic managed through the sites.
SH1 Kahikatea Drive, Hamilton
Travellers on SH1 through Hamilton should be prepared for minor delays as work is under way to install traffic lights at the Kahikatea Drive and Gallagher Drive intersection. A speed restriction and traffic management is in place until mid-year when the project will be complete.
SH3 Ohaupo Road, Hamilton
Work is well under way on the shared path for cyclists and pedestrians along SH3 in Hamilton. The $2 million 3.5km shared path on SH3 Ohaupo Road will be finished in April, followed mid-year by with two signalised pedestrian crossings at the Normandy Avenue shops.
SH3/SH21 Hamilton Airport turn-off
Motorists can expect occasional minor delays while work continues on a roundabout at the intersection. It is being built away from traffic and will be completed in May.
The Transport Agency apologises for any inconvenience caused by the works and thanks motorists for their patience and understanding.
