Road contractors continue to progress significant maintenance programmes across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty state highway network.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and its contractors are completing an ambitious programme to improve safety and resilience of the network and it is important that contractors continue to make the most of the summer months in which they’re able to reseal and re-construct roads, says Roger Brady, Bay of Plenty System Manager, Maintenance and Operations.
“While the wide-ranging effects of Cyclone Dovi have caused contractors to re-plan, we still have time up our sleeve to complete a significant amount of work.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as plans do change depending on the weather and a number of other factors. Road users will be noticing recently completed work such as the new road surface on State Highway 2 Takitimu Drive, the switch to the new bridge at the Tamahere Interchange and the new road surface on SH1 East Taupō Arterial.
“We continue to work across the region to minimise disruption to road users, however we also acknowledge there is a lot of work on, and there will inevitably be delays to some journeys. As always, our key focus is to keep road users and contractor crews safe at all times,” says Mr Brady.
Check the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website before you travel for up-to-date information.
Bay of Plenty
Tauranga
- Takitimu North Link Stage One: Enabling works are taking place on Wairoa Road, with service relocations taking place until mid-March. More information(external link).
- SH2 Hewletts Road: As part of the Totara Street cycleway project, night works will be underway from 8pm to 5am from Sunday 20 February until late-April between Tasman Quay and Totara Street. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Minimal delays are expected. More information(external link).
- SH2 Bay Link: A small section of Girven Road (between Gloucester Road intersection and the Bayfair roundabout) has been reduced to one lane in each direction until late-March, to allow construction of the permanent road along the two central lanes of Girven Road. Minor delays are expected. More information(external link).
- SH29A Greeton: A power pole located near the SH29A/Oropi Road roundabout will be replaced between 9pm and 11pm on Tuesday 22 February. Westbound traffic will be diverted via Oropi Road, Maleme Street and Cameron Road.
Western Bay of Plenty
- SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa: 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.
Tetley Road is temporarily closed between State Highway 2 and Rereatukahia Pā Road for approximately two months. Detour routes are available, please follow the signs. More information(external link).
- SH2 Pongakawa: Night-time chip-sealing will take place on a short section of SH2 in Pongakawa, near the BP petrol station, on Wednesday 23 February (weather permitting). Expect minor delays during sealing, and delays of up to 20 minutes for 48 hours afterwards as the new seal beds in.
Rotorua
- SH5 Tārukenga to Ngongotahā: Remaining road widening, further barrier installation, and landscaping are underway. These works are expected to be complete in March 2022. More information(external link).
- SH36 & SH5 Ngongotahā: From Sunday 20 February four chipseal sites will be undertaken on SH36 between Dalbeth Road and Wikaraka Street. Following this six chipseal sites will be undertaken on SH5 between Henderson Road and Barnard Road.
- SH30 Te Ngae Road, Iles Road to Basley Road: Service location for SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage Two is underway. Traffic management will be in place. More information(external link).
- SH33 Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa: Safety improvement upgrade work continues either side of the area known as the Pareteiro - Sun Valley Curves. This includes widening the shoulders, upgrading the road surface, and installing roadside safety barriers. More information(external link).
Eastern Bay of Plenty
- SH2 Waioeka Gorge: HPMV strengthening work on four bridges in the Waioeka Gorge continues, and is expected to be complete in May 2022. The bridges are Owhiritoa Stream Bridge, Omaukora Bridge, Gibson Bridge and Sandys Bridge.
Road rehabilitation works continue on a 750m section of road north of Oponae. Work is expected to be complete by late-February 2022.
- SH35 Raukokere River Bridge: A recent routine inspection has identified a significant internal defect within the bridge structure. Heavy vehicles restrictions are in place while the bridge awaits repair.
- SH35 Cape Runaway: Road rehabilitation works continue on a section of road between Ngarue Road and Taitua Road East. Works will take place between 6:30am and 6:30pm until early-March. At times temporary traffic lights will be utilised overnight, with 10-15 minute delays expected when these are active.
Waikato
East Waikato
- SH29, western (Waikato) side of Kaimai Range: Road rehabilitation and resurfacing works commence Sunday 20 February for up to two weeks to complete two separate sections on SH29. There will be alternating one-way closures each night from Sunday through to Thursday nights each week. During the alternating closures, westbound traffic may travel across the Kaimai Range between 9pm and 12am, and eastbound traffic between 12.30am and 4.30am. More information(external link).
- SH27 Mangawhero Stream Bridge: A detour is now 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. More information(external link).
Central Waikato
- SH28 Whites Road (Te Waihou walkway access): Road rehabilitation work on SH28 (Whites Road), between SH1 and SH5, has progressed well, and works will be completed next week (weather permitting). Until works are complete the road closure will continue to be in effect on weekdays between 6am and 6pm. All vehicles will be detoured via the SH1/SH5 roundabout at the southern end of Tirau. More information(external link).
- SH5 Tirau: Road rehabilitation work continues on a 250m section of road located immediately east of the Waihou River Bridge on SH5, south of Tirau. Stop/go traffic management will be active from 6am to 6pm, and a reduced speed limit will be in place until mid-March.
- SH1/SH30 Ātiamuri: Road rehabilitation work has commenced at a 250m section of road located between the SH1/SH30 intersection and Humphrey Road. Stop/go traffic management with a temporary speed limit will be in place until early March, with temporary traffic lights used overnight when required.
Resurfacing of the SH1/SH30 intersection will take place overnight from Tuesday 22 to Thursday 24 February. Three-way stop/go traffic management will be in place from 6pm until 6am.
During the time that both sites above are active, the full area covered by both worksites will be under a 30km/h speed limit. The non-operational site will have two lanes of traffic available, to ensure any disruption is minimised.
- SH1 Taupō: Resurfacing night works on the East Taupō Arterial have been hampered by adverse weather conditions. Works continue next week between Centennial Drive and Napier Road, from 6pm until 6am each night. Please follow all detour signage and adhere to temporary speed limits.
- SH1 Tūrangi: A 1.2km section of SH1 in Tūrangi, from the Tongariro River bridge to the intersection with Taupahi Street, will be resealed on Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 February (weather permitting).
- SH1 Desert Road: Road rehabilitation work continues on a 1.2km section of road located between the Rangipo Intake Road and the Tukino Access Road.
Road rehabilitation work commences on Tuesday 15 February on a 700m site located north of Tree Trunk Gorge.
Stop/go traffic management will be active between 6am and 6pm at both sites, with reduced speed limits in place until late-February.
West Waikato
- SH1 Cobham Drive: The Ring Road – Wairere Drive extension project continues, and is expected to be completed by mid-2022. More information(external link).
- SH1 Tamahere: Four nights of full road closure in late March are planned for SH1 between the SH1/SH26 and SH1/SH21 intersections to allow gantry signage installation to take place, as part of the Waikato Expressway project. More information(external link).
- SH39 Mangaotama Stream Bridge: 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. More information(external link).
- SH30 Kopaki: Due to a drop out between Kopaki Rd and Ohirea Rd, there is stop/go traffic management in place with a temporary speed restriction of 30 km/h.
North Waikato
- SH1 Ohinewai: Work commenced on Wednesday 19 January to install roadside barriers and re-position streetlights. Lane restrictions and temporary speed limits are in place. Work is expected to be complete in March. More information(external link).
- SH1 Ngāruawāhia: Safety improvement work and gantry signage installations will commence on the same section in late-February. Single and dual direction road closures will be in place through to late-March.
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.
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.
Journey Planner(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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