The NZ Transport Agency is encouraging heavy vehicles to avoid Huntly for a week from Sunday as roadwork gets under way on State Highway 1.
Traffic will be managed through roadworks just north of Huntly from Sunday 21 February, with a south-bound detour required at night.
The Transport Agency’s Waikato journey manager Liam Ryan says heavy vehicles are being encouraged to use SH2/SH27 to avoid the south-bound detour and expected north-bound delays.
'The detour is through a residential area, and our contractors and the people living along that route would obviously prefer trucks were not travelling past in the middle of the night,' Mr Ryan says.
'Because north-bound traffic is being managed through the works there will be delays, so we are encouraging trucks to take SH2/SH27 where practical.'
The works are on 1.8km stretch of SH1 alongside the Waikato River in the Huntly urban area.
Contractors will be repairing the road surface in the north-bound lanes, and carrying out other roadworks.
The work will start at 5pm on Sunday February 21 and go through until Friday 26 February.
Construction work will be done at night, 5pm-5am, and the south-bound traffic detour will operate during the same hours.
Outside of these hours traffic will be managed through the work site and drivers are advised to allow an extra few minutes when travelling through the area.
The detour for south-bound traffic is Fletcher Street-Hakanoa Street-Bell Crossing Street.
Contractors will also be working on other sections of SH1 next week. Motorists may encounter minor delays when travelling through:
Drivers are likely to encounter speed restrictions and other traffic management at roadwork sites over the next three months, and should get in the habit of allowing extra time for their journeys.
People can get information on road works and detours in the region they are in, or travelling to by going online and checking www.nzta.govt.nz/summerjourneys(external link), by calling 0800 444 449 or following the Transport Agency on Facebook or Twitter.
Details of work expected to cause delays in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty area is below to help people plan ahead:
WAIKATO
SH2 Karangahake Gorge
Contractors will be laying fibre optic cable through the Karangahake Gorge (SH2) until mid-March. Speed restrictions, lane closures and stop-go traffic management will be in place at times. Drivers are advised to expect delays of approximately five minutes.
SH1 Hampton Downs
The north-bound off-ramp at the Hampton Downs interchange will be closed from 9am until 4pm on Monday 29 February while contractors install a 13-metre high pole and signs in the forecourt of the Gull service station.
People wanting to get to the Hampton Downs landfill or Spring Hill Corrections Facility will be detoured up to the Mercer interchange and back, which will add approximately 15 minutes to normal travel time.
SH1 Kahikatea Drive, Hamilton
Travellers on SH1 through Hamilton should be prepared for minor delays as work to install traffic lights at the Kahikatea Drive and Gallagher Drive intersection continues.
Earthworks start next week and there will be speed restrictions and traffic management in place. Work will be 24-hours and 6 days a week. However night works will not normally take place on Friday or Saturday nights.
SH2 Seddon Street Roundabout, Waihi
Work to improve the road surface on the Seddon Street roundabout in Waihi gets under way at 7pm on Monday 22 February. A section of SH2 will be closed until approximately 2am the following morning, with a detour via Kenny Street in place.
SH3 – south of Hamilton Airport turn-off
Motorists can expect minor delays for another two weeks as more than 1km of roadworks continue on SH3, just south of the Hamilton Airport turn-off.
Speed restrictions are in place during the work, and while the nearby roundabout is built. Motorists on this route should add a few minutes to their journey times.
SH3/21 roundabout
Work continues on the roundabout being built at the intersection of SH3/21.
A temporary road is now in place for all traffic going in and out of SH21.
For short periods there will be stop/go traffic management and motorists should allow for minor delays. The project will be completed in May.
BAY OF PLENTY
Please see www.drivelive.nz/tauranga(external link) for current travel times around the Bay of Plenty.
Tauranga Eastern Link
The contractor will be applying the long-life road marking on the Tauranga Eastern Link expressway and motorway from February 22.
The works will be carried out at night for six weeks. The reason for the long time period is the paint is slow to apply and takes hours to try.
There will be a semi-static lane closure in place but no speed restriction.
Drivers are asked to take care when driving along this route.
SH2 between Tauranga and Waihi
Motorists travelling on SH2 between Tauranga and Waihi are urged to drive with extra care over the next three months as work continues on a major safety upgrade.
A section of highway between Wainui South Road and Sargent Drive will be repaired and widened, and a wire rope central median barrier installed to prevent head on crashes.
Work started in January and is expected to wrap up in mid-May.
People should only expect minor delays but are urged to stay alert behind the wheel as there will be significant changes including lane closures, speed restrictions and occasional stop/go traffic management.
Te Puke Highway
Motorists using the Te Puke Highway during February and March are being advised to allow extra time when travelling, with road reconstruction work expected to cause delays.
Works are continuing along sections of the highway, which involve digging up and removing the old road and replacing it with new roading before sealing and roadmarking.
Contractors are working on a 200m length of road adjacent to the AFFCO Rangiuru entrance. Work here is expected to be complete by early March, with only minor delays.
Work on an 800m section of road between Welcome Bay Road and Bell Road is creating longer delays due to the narrow road width. Traffic control will vary during the works and at times includes an eastbound detour around Tara Road. Heavy traffic will still be able to go through the site although this will be under stop/go control. This section of the project is planned for completion by late March.
SH34 Kawerau
Stop/ go traffic management will be in place from February 20 until February 26 while contractors carry out tree felling along the highway. Motorists are advised to allow an extra five minutes when travelling on this route.
Rotorua area
Rotorua motorists are advised to allow extra time when travelling this month as contractors carry out roadworks and reseals on a number of state highway sites.
Stop/go traffic management, changes to the road layout and speed restrictions will be in place on:
Motorists are advised to allow and extra 10 to 15 minutes when travelling in the district.
SH36 between Rotorua and Tauranga
Contractors will be carrying out rockfall prevention works along SH36 between Tauranga and Rotorua from Tuesday February 23. Stop/go traffic management and speed restrictions will be in place at times over the next month. Motorists are advised to allow an extra 10 minutes.
The Transport Agency thanks motorists for their patience and understanding during the works.
