Road contractors are continuing to work hard across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty state highway network in the lead up to the Easter and Anzac Day holiday period.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and its contractors are completing an ambitious programme to improve safety and resilience of the network, however like many other workplaces, contractors are experiencing COVID-19 cases amongst their workforces, which may cause plans to change at short notice, says Cara Lauder, Waikato System Manager, Maintenance and Operations.
“Waka Kotahi takes seriously our responsibilities for the safety of our staff, contractors and members of the public. All worksites have comprehensive COVID-19 protocols and work plans in place for the various COVID-19 traffic light settings and Omicron phases, which are strictly adhered to.
Our contractors have also undertaken extensive planning to make sure essential maintenance can continue on Waikato and Bay of Plenty state highways so they remain safe. However, there may be some disruption to other planned works. We are also experiencing less favourable weather conditions; whilst this has been most notable on the East Coast, any sustained periods of wet weather will likely prevent resealing works taking place as expected.
We thank people for their patience as we support our contractors to manage the health and safety of their workforces while continuing to ensure the state highway network remains safe for all those who use it,” says Ms Lauder.
Check the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)) before you travel for up-to-date information.
The removal of the existing road surface on Hātepe Hill
Enabling works continue on Wairoa Road and Minden Road, with service relocations taking place and stop/go traffic management in place. A diversion road at Wairoa Road will be live by the end of the week. Shoulder closures will be in place throughout the week on Cambridge Road while Powerco work takes place, stop/go traffic management is planned for Saturday 2 and Wednesday 6 April, between 9am and 3pm, with minor delays expected. On SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road a reduced speed limit of 80km/hr will be in place while service relocation works take place.
The Waihī Road overbridge will be closed between 6pm and 5:30am on Sunday 3 April, to allow the removal of a damaged gantry and associated directional signage. Detour via Waihī Road, Cambridge Road, Sterling Gate Drive and Beaumaris Boulevard.
A further closure will take place in the near future to replace the gantry and sign.
As part of the Totara Street cycleway project, night works will take place from late April through to June 2022, from 8pm to 5am each night between Tasman Quay and Totara Street. Eastbound traffic will be reduced to one lane through the intersection. Minimal delays are expected.
Totara Streety safety upgrade(external link)
State Highway 2 at the Bayfair roundabout will be closed from 7pm to 7am on Friday 8 April and Saturday 9 April to allow beams for two spans of the four-span flyover to be lifted into place. Lane closures and detours differ each night; on both nights, lane closures will be in place on all approaches to the Bayfair roundabout to manage traffic flows. If this work is impacted by weather or other unforeseen issues, it will be carried out on the next available weekend.
Baypark to Bayfair Link project
Investigation works to provide the information needed for the next steps of the Tauriko West enabling works are underway and expected to take place through to early May 2022. Works will mostly take place overnight between 7pm and 6am, with generally one active work site at any time. It is expected that most works will be completed over one to two nights at each location. This will include topographical surveys, locating buried services, and geotechnical investigations to determine the ground conditions. The investigations will generate some noise due to the machinery and equipment used, and will involve the use of temporary lighting. Traffic management will include shoulder and lane closures.
Tauriko for Tomorrow project(external link)
Tree felling will be undertaken between Soldiers Road and Old Kaimai Road on Sunday 3 April, between the hours of 5am and 4pm. Stop/stop traffic management will be in place periodically while trees are being felled. A 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place.
Asphalt patching work will take place on Thursday 7 April between Thorn Road and Poripori Road, from 7am until 5pm. One lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction, with a temporary speed limit. On Friday 8 April chipsealing will take place in the same area between 7pm and 6am. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, and a temporary speed limit will be in place for up to 48 hours afterwards. Delays of up to 15 minutes are to be expected during this time.
Safety improvement works continue at four active sites: between Athenree Road and Tanners Point Road, Rea Road / Tetley Road intersection, Lund Road to Sargent Drive and Apata Station Road to Esdaile Road. Minor delays are expected.
Tetley Road is temporarily closed between SH2 and Rereatukahia Pā Road for approximately two months. Detour routes are available, and only add a couple of minutes to the overall travel time. Please follow detour signage.
Tree felling will be undertaken by Powerco contractors between Beach Road and Lindemann Road on Sunday 3 April, between the hours of 6am and 3pm. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, along with a 30km/h temporary speed limit.
Barrier installation is underway between Dalbeth Road to just north of the golf course. Traffic management will be in place. These works are expected to be complete in April 2022.
SH5 Tarukenga to Ngongotahā project
Service location for SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage Two is underway. Traffic management will be in place.
SH30 Eastern Corridor – Stage Two project
Safety improvement upgrade work continues on the section north of Pareteiro - Sun Valley Curve passing lane. This includes widening the shoulders, installing a wide centreline and installing roadside safety barriers.
SH33 Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa project
Asphalt resurfacing will take place on the eastbound lane of SH2 between Puriri Crescent and College Road, between Sunday 3 April and Sunday 10 April. Work will take place between 6pm and 6am, with stop/go traffic management in place. A temporary speed limit will be in place throughout the day while this work is completed.
HPMV strengthening work on four bridges in the Waioeka Gorge continues, and is expected to be complete in early April 2022. The bridges are Owhiritoa Stream Bridge, Omaukora Bridge, Gibson Bridge and Sandys Bridge. Bridge crossing restrictions apply to heavy freight vehicles.
Bridge repairs have taken place; the bridge is open to traffic with the ‘80% of Class 1’ weight restriction lifted for 50MAX and Heavy General Access Vehicles. Heavy vehicles remain restricted to the posted speed limit of 10km/h while crossing the bridge, and all other vehicles will be temporarily speed restricted to 30km/h until mid-April, while steel plates remain on the bridge deck to protect the repaired areas.
SH35 Raukokore River Bridge repairs completed (media release, 4 March 2022)
Following recent weather events SH35 remains closed between Tokomaru Bay and Te Puia Springs. Access is expected to be restored prior to Easter.
Road users can expect slips and uneven road surfaces along the East Cape from Tokomaru Bay down to Napier, and inland on SH5 and SH38.
Strengthening work on the Waiwawa River Bridge (SH25) in Coroglen continues and is expected to be complete in the second half of 2022.
Overnight closures on Waiwawa River Bridge in Coromandel (SH25) (media release, 24 February 2022)
The eastbound bridge at Waitakururu requires strengthening; until this takes place heavy vehicles are not permitted to travel in this direction. Detour is via SH2 and Hauraki Road.
A detour is in place on SH27 until 14 April to allow for the completion of new stretches of road either side of the new bridge being built over the Mangawhero Stream. Traffic is being detoured along SH29, Hopkins Road and Hinuera Road, adding around 3.7 kilometres to a journey between Tirau and Matamata.
SH27 detoured south of Matamata from 13 January to 14 April (traffic bulletin, 14 January 2022)
Audio tactile profiled road marking will be installed on the recently resurfaced sections of SH1 between Centennial Dr and Napier Rd, from Sunday 3 April, between 6pm and 6am each night. Varying sections will close each night, please follow the detour in place and allow extra time for journeys.
SH1 East Taupō Arterial road works (traffic bulletin, 31 March 2022)
Asphalt surfacing of the left-hand northbound lane will continue until mid-April. Stop/go traffic management or lane closures will be in place during this time.
SH1 Hātepe Hill Road repairs commence 6 March (traffic bulletin, 4 March 2022)
Asphalt resurfacing takes place on Sunday 3 April between Lorne Street and Normandy Avenue, from 7pm to 6am. Northbound traffic will detour via Normandy Avenue and SH1.
The Ring Road – Wairere Drive extension project continues, and is expected to be completed by mid-2022.
Ring Road - Wairere Dr Extension(external link)
Day-time tree-felling continues until late April on SH1 between the new Southern Interchange and Newell Road, from 9am until 3pm each day. Dates and times will vary depending on bat monitoring results and weather. Northbound traffic will be detoured via SH21 and SH3, southbound traffic will be stopped briefly when trees are felled.
Upcoming Tamahere SH1 closures (media release, 16 March 2022)
Asphalt resurfacing of the SH1/Karapiro Road and SH1/Hydro Road intersections will take place on Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 April, between 7pm and 6am. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place.
This bridge on SH39 remains restricted to heavy traffic, with detours in place. The best alternative route for freight is to use SH3 and SH1 through Hamilton and Te Awamutu. A tender has been awarded for the necessary repair work and we will share the details of this once they are confirmed.
Tender to repair SH39 Mangaotama Stream bridge awarded (media release, 8 February 2022)
Work has commenced on the drop out between Kopaki Rd and Ohirea Rd, temporary traffic lights are in place to control traffic, along with a temporary speed restriction of 30 km/h.
Work continues to install roadside barriers and re-position streetlights. Lane restrictions and temporary speed limits are in place. Work is expected to be complete in early May.
Ōhinewai lighting upgrade safety works starts tonight (traffic bulletin, 19 January 2022)
Resurfacing between Pokeno and Hampton Downs recommences on Sunday 10 April between 9pm and 5am, with works ongoing until mid-May. At times SH1 will be down to one lane, or closed with an associated detour, in one direction.
Pokeno to Hampton Downs asphalt resurfacing works to start Sunday (traffic bulletin, 25 March 2022)
Surfacing works at the Awakino Tunnel Bypass continue this week, with foam bitumen stabilisation trials taking place in the passing lane section. A temporary speed limit will be in place. Minor delays are expected.
Plan ahead for SH3 roadworks at Awakino and Mt Messenger (media release, 18 March 2022)
For 24 hours following completion of chipseal sites, a 50km/h temporary speed limit will be in place until the road is swept and line marking reinstated. Please take extra care through all work sites and allow extra time for your journey.
Some of the above works are weather dependent and may be postponed in the case of poor weather. For up-to-date information on road works, traffic, detours and delays, motorists are encouraged to visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)).
Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience while we complete this essential work to keep the state highways safe and resilient.
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