Update: 20 December - Urgent road repair works near Ravensdown on State Highway 2 between Masterton and Carterton are now complete and the road is open to traffic in both directions.
Dates have also been confirmed for resurfacing works next month on this section of highway.
It will require night-time road closures from Sunday 12 January to Thursday 16 January, between 9pm and 4:30am.
Traffic management will be set up from, 7pm each night. Drivers can expect delays during this time.
To ensure the public and road crews are kept safe, there will be a full closure of State Highway 2 in both directions and traffic will need to detour via detour via Cornwall Road and Hughes Line. However, residents in the works areas will retain access to their properties.
A 50 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place on the detour route. As these are local roads and will be carrying extra traffic, all drivers must observe it.
The highway will be open in both directions during the day. However, a temporary speed limit of 30 km/h will be in place for up to five days after the resurfacing works. It is essential drivers follow this speed limit as it helps prevent damage to the road and to vehicles.
Resurfacing this road ensures a more resilient state highway between Masterton and Carterton.
This work is weather-dependent, and schedules may change. Road users are encouraged to check for updates on the highway’s status on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website.
Highway conditions - Wellington(external link)
SH2 Masterton to Carterton resurfacing – detour route.
6 December:
Essential road repairs mean there will be a week of closures on State Highway 2 between Masterton and Carterton from mid-December.
The highway will be closed to southbound traffic between the East Taratahi Rd roundabout and Hughes Line from Sunday 15 December for up to one week. The closure will be in place 24/7, with a detour via East Taratahi Road and Hughes Line
The highway will remain open for northbound vehicles.
These works weather-dependent and may be rescheduled at short notice.
Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Alliance Manager, says a rebuild is the most effective way fix the short section of road.
“It is deteriorating and has significant cracking that needs urgent repairs. A pavement rebuild will make the road safer for drivers and reduce the risk of further damage.”
“This is best done while the weather is warm and dry and before the holiday season and expected busier traffic around Christmas and the New Year,” Ms Hilliard says.
Because it is a rebuild, Ms Hilliard says the work is complex, and is why a road closure is essential.
“Road crews need to excavate to a depth of at least 700 millimetres. They need to make sure the new road has a proper and solid foundation for the new surface.”
“A full closure means we can complete the repairs quickly and have the highway back to two lanes in time for peak holiday traffic,’ Ms Hilliard says.
She says the work will affect about 130 metres of the highway’s southbound lane near Ravensdown and will create disruption and travel delays.
A local road detour will be available via East Taratahi Road and Hughes Line. Drivers must allow for extra travel time.
Further work is also planned for this section of State Highway 2 in early in the New Year.
Road resurfacing will be done mid-January and the community can expect to see an improved road surface once it is finished.
As well as improving sections of the road between Masterton and Carterton, The Wellington Transport Alliance are making a huge investment in rebuilding sections of State Highway in Wairarapa that most need repair. This includes road rebuilds in Greytown, Carterton and Masterton.
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