Remedial works are likely to take a week or two longer on State Highway 1 at Rangiriri and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises travellers to expect delays and watch for a changing road layout.
Currently all traffic is sharing the southbound lanes through Rangiriri as the northbound lanes are closed, including the Te Kauwhata off-ramp. This layout will continue next week (from Monday Oct 2) as investigations have found there is more remedial work required in this northbound section.
People need to use the Rangiriri off-ramp to leave the highway to go to Te Kauwhata, Rodda Road, Rangiriri, and Glen Murray Bridge.
The work has been split into stages and each stage and location requires different on and off-ramp closures. People are asked to take extra care when travelling through the interchanges by following any temporary speed limits, traffic management and signs.
The extent of works for each stage is determined by the investigation phase, which can’t be undertaken until traffic has been moved. Some time has been lost in the programme due to extra work required, and it is now expected to finish in mid-October.
There is no work over the weekends but the traffic management needs to remain in place because sections of central barrier have been removed.
Waka Kotahi encourages people to allow extra time if travelling on this section of the Waikato Expressway, recommending they merge early into a single lane to help lessen congestion.
Waka Kotahi apologises for the disruption this work is causing and thanks people for their patience.
Stage 1: Southbound lanes closed. Rangiriri on-ramp closed. Use Te Kauwhata on-ramp to go south.
Stage 2: Northbound lanes closed. Te Kauwhata off-ramp closed. Use Rangiriri off-ramp to leave highway to go to Te Kauwhata, Rodda Road, Rangiriri, Glen Murray Bridge.
Stage 3: Southbound lanes closed. Te Kauwhata on-ramp closed, Rangiriri off-ramp closed. Use Rangiriri on-ramp to go south, Te Kauwhata off-ramp to exit.
Stage 4: Northbound lanes closed. Rangiriri Interchange off-ramp closed. Use Te Kauwhata off-ramp to leave highway to go to Te Kauwhata, Rangiriri, Glen Murray Bridge.