Waikato and Bay of Plenty state highway works for February 2023

10 February 2023 12:56 pm | Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

With more rain forecast next week contractors have taken the opportunity to batten down the hatches, preparing the state highway network for what is to come.

Substantial maintenance activity has been undertaken, particularly in the Coromandel region, including drainage clearance to ensure that water can move as effectively as possible.

Meanwhile road renewals have been ongoing as well, says Roger Brady, Bay of Plenty System Manager at Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport System.

“With this week providing contractors with milder temperatures and sunny skies, they have been able to complete significant amounts of resealing throughout the region, which is great to see. Chipseal is the waterproofing coat over the bones of the road, and new seal will help the network stand up to the forecasted impact of Cyclone Gabrielle.

“We acknowledge that our contractors have faced a number of significant events already this summer, with this being the fifth weather event for the Coromandel in the space of a few months. Their commitment and passion for the network they look after is admirable, and deserves respect.

“Waka Kotahi works in partnership with MetService to understand the predicted path of weather systems such as this, and then works with contractors to ensure we are in a place to respond to any issues that occur on the network.

With extreme rainfall expected in some areas, the advice is simple – don’t drive.

“We all saw late last month how quickly the impact of rainfall can take hold,” says Mr Brady.

“The impact of Cyclone Gabrielle may be similar, therefore on the days when heavy rainfall is expected please only drive if it is essential to do so. Staying home keeps you safe and also helps our contractors move around the network more efficiently, speeding up response times.

“Slips can occur anywhere on the roading network, however recent weather events have seen widespread issues in areas such as SH29 (Kaimai Range), SH3, SH31 and SH37 in the Waitomo area, and in the eastern Bay of Penty state highways near Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki.

If you are heading out, please check the Journey Planner on the day, as there may be incidents on the network that affect travel options.

Journey Planner(external link)

Bay of Plenty

Tauranga

Takitimu North Link Stage One: A range of construction activities will continue between Te Puna, Bethlehem and Tauriko including Cambridge Road, Harrison Road, Wairoa Road, Minden Road, Loop Road and State Highway 2, there are a number of shoulder closures and reduced speed limits. The new Harrison Road alignment will open with new seal and line marking scheduled in the coming weeks, when there is consistent fine weather. People may notice an increase in truck movements along Moffat Road over the summer months as earthworks ramp up in the Tauriko/Bethlehem area. More information(external link).
SH2 Bay Link: Access to Truman Lane is via State Highway 2 Sandhurst interchange only with access to Truman Lane from the State Highway 29A roundabout closed. Follow detours and allow extra time. On Matapihi Road, the left lane approaching the Bayfair roundabout is left turn only and the right lane will continue to be for traffic going straight through and turning right only. More information.(external link)
SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road: A reduced speed limit of 80km/h will be in place while contractor crews are working behind the barriers.
SH2 Fifteenth Avenue: Work continues on the upgrade of the intersection at SH2/Fifteenth Avenue and Cameron Road. Traffic management will be in place on the two northern corners, and there will be a reduced number of northbound lanes on Cameron Road. Minor delays are expected. Cameron Road, between Fifteenth and Sixteenth Avenue, will have a southbound lane closure from 6pm on Sunday 12 February through to mid-2023.
SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR): For the Tauranga City Council led Pāpāmoa East Interchange construction project, a section of the TELTR, just north of the Kaituna River Bridge, is reduced to three lanes. Whilst earthworks continue on the south side of the road, both eastbound lanes are open and normal speed applies. The inner westbound lane is open whilst work continues along the outside lane - the speed limit past the work site is 70km/h. This layout will remain in place until May 2023 with reinstatement work planned for June 2023. More information.(external link)

The Quayside Properties Ltd led Rangiuru Business Park Interchange project has commenced. Temporary barriers have been installed on both sides of the TELTR, and these will be in place until approximately October 2023, with one lane available in either direction. A temporary speed limit of 70km/h will apply through the site. More information(external link).

Western Bay of Plenty

SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa: Safety improvement works continue at five active sites: between Tanners Point Road to Kauri Point Road, Rea Road / Tetley Road intersection, Lockington Road / Matahui Road intersection, Morton Road intersection and Apata Station Road to Esdaile Road. Pavement work to complete the Rea Road / Tetley Road roundabout will take place as soon as there is consistent fine weather. There is an unsealed section northbound of the Morton Road roundabout awaiting sealing. Minor delays are expected. More information(external link).

Chipsealing continues in this area on the night of Sunday 12 February. Weather permitting, work will take place from 7pm to 6am each night, Sunday to Friday. During this time stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place.

SH2 Te Puna: Two trees located between Te Mete Road and Wairoa Road will be removed on Sunday 12 February by arborists sub-contracting to PowerCo. A temporary speed limit and lane shifts will be in place between 9am and 4pm.

Rotorua

SH36 Hamurana: A daytime road closure will be in place from Monday 20 to Friday 24 February, between 9am and 5pm each day, to allow road resealing and other maintenance activities to take place near the Mangapouri Bridge. The closure will be between Dudley Road and Kaharoa Road, detour routes are via SH33 and SH2 or SH5, SH28 and SH29.
SH30A Rotorua CBD: Chipsealing takes place on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 February, between Eruera Street and Ranolf Street. Work will take place at night between the hours of 7pm and 6am.
SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage Two: Multiple worksites are active on SH30/Te Ngae Road between Iles Road and Puketāwhero Park. Temporary traffic management will be in place with all eastbound traffic - including heavy haulage - required to turn at Vaughan Road and follow detours. Any local eastbound traffic at the Iles Road intersection will be required to take the right turn at Iles Road and follow detours. One lane of westbound traffic will be maintained from the Ōwhata roundabout to Iles Road, with a lane shift between 411 Te Ngae Road and Basley Road. Tennyson Drive is closed at the intersection with SH30/Te Ngae Road. There is no exit from Basley Road onto SH30/Te Ngae Road - detours are in place - and there is a temporary left hand turn into Basley Road from SH30/ Te Ngae Road. The upgraded footpath on the lakeside of SH30/Te Ngae Road, between Iles Road and Basley Road is closed. Access for local residents and businesses will be maintained at all times. More information(external link).
SH30/SH33 Te Ngae Junction: Construction of safety improvements continue on the western side of the intersection, with a shoulder closure in place. More information(external link).
SH33 Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa: Safety improvement upgrade work continues near Pareteiro - Sun Valley Curves passing lane. Temporary traffic management is in place, at time a stop/go and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h will be in place during work hours. When the site is unattended, the worksite will have a shoulder closure and a temporary speed limit of 50km/h. More information(external link).
SH30 Te Ruato Bay: Road rehabilitation commences Monday 13 February just west of Lake Okataina Road. This work is expected to be complete by late-March, during this time stop/go or stop/stop traffic management will be in place as required. Work will take place between 6am and 6pm each weekday.

Eastern Bay of Plenty

SH30 Awakeri to Whakatāne: Pavement and utility site investigation work will occur during the week along SH30, between the SH30/SH2 and SH30/Shaw Road intersections. Work will be undertaken at night under stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit.
SH2 Waiotahe Beach: A slip has fallen across the road. Geotechnical investigation and removal of material are ongoing. The road is currently closed. We expect to open to one lane early this evening. Detour via Waiotahe Valley Back Rd, Verrall Rd, and Paerata Ridge Rd. This detour is not suitable for HPMV.
SH2 Waioeka Gorge: An underslip at the road edge sees a section of road under priority give-way. Care is required when driving through this area.

Tairāwhiti Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay

SH35 Kopuaroa: The site remains under stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h at all times. Main improvement works to realign the highway onto more stable ground are underway. Delays are to be expected. More information(external link).
SH2 Esk River Bridge: The bridge over the Esk River on SH2, north of Napier, has been reduced to a 30km/h temporary speed limit due to recent assessments identifying the bridge does not have capacity for sustained increased travel demands. Overweight vehicles are required to reduce their speed to 10km/h within their own lane, or to follow the restriction on their permit if it is lower. More information(external link).

Manawatū-Whanganui

SH4 Auraki Stream Road Retreat: Work to retreat the road away from a slip adjacent to the Mangawhero River is currently underway and is expected to be complete by mid-2023. For the duration of the works the road is reduced to one lane with traffic control operating under traffic signals. Works are generally undertaken away from the road, however there are occasions where traffic signals are used to keep drivers safe from hazards, with delays of up to 10 minutes. More information(external link).
SH4 Te Oreore slip: Following a slip in 2019, a temporary road is in place at Te Oreore, with a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place. Work to ensure the ongoing safety and resilience of this site is planned to start in the next couple of months, including the construction of three retaining walls north of the main slip area and the drilling and construction of two new dewatering wells. More information(external link).
SH4 Upokongaro to Raetihi: Ground investigations continue at a site north of Hawken Road.

Waikato

East Waikato

Coromandel State Highways: SH2, SH25 and SH26 may have overslips and/or potential flooding sites during and following Cyclone Gabrielle. Extreme caution is required if travelling during and immediately after this weather event.
SH25A Kopu-Hikuai: A section of road near the summit has collapsed, and the road is impassable. Geotechnical investigations are ongoing. Detour via SH26, SH2, SH25 via the Karangahake Gorge, or SH25 via Coromandel Town. More information.(external link)
SH27 Ngarua: Road rebuilding continues near Ngarua, with work expected to be complete by late February. Stop/go traffic management is in place 24/7 during this time.

Central Waikato

SH1 Lichfield: Road reconstruction work commences Tuesday 14 February near Puriri Road in Lichfield. Northbound light vehicles detour via Rollet Road, Paraonui Road and Wiltsdown Road. Northbound heavy vehicles will be sent past the site via stop/go traffic management. Work is expected to be complete late-February.
SH5 Mamaku: Road reconstruction continues on the passing lane area within the Mamaku Forest Park area. Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits are in place until mid-March while this work takes place. Delays are expected.
SH1 Ātiamuri: Traffic continues to be managed through the 4.5km site where side and median barriers are being installed south of Ātiamuri. Both north and south-bound lanes are restricted to 50km/h with stop/go in place at active work sites. Pavement works and barrier construction will finish in April 2023. More information(external link).
SH5 Reporoa: Road reconstruction continues outside the Fonterra factory. Work will take place between the hours of 7am and 5pm, six days a week, until late-February. When works are taking place the road will be closed, with a detour via Reporoa Road and Settlers Road. This detour is suitable for HPMV and over-dimension vehicles.
SH1 Halletts Bay: Road rehabilitation works have been postponed due to the weather forecast. A new start date will be confirmed once the weather system has passed. More information(external link).
SH41 Tokaanu: Due to a washout, the road is down to one lane under temporary traffic lights, with a 30km/h temporary speed restriction in place

West Waikato

SH1B Puketaha: SH1B east of Hamilton is closed at the southern end of Telephone Road while options for its long-term future are investigated. Detour via Holland Road, Waverley Road and Seddon Road. More information(external link).
SH1 Waikato Expressway - Ngāruawāhia Section: Safety and remedial works have restarted with temporary safety barriers being reinstalled, requiring night-time closures and detours. These will be for north-bound traffic from Sunday 12 until Thursday 16 February. More information(external link).
SH1C Hillcrest: Work has commenced at the SH1C/Cambridge Road roundabout. A temporary speed limit of 30km/h is in place, and the roundabout has been reduced to one lane in each direction. Cambridge Road and Johnsview Terrace are operating as left in/left out only. This work sees the intersection changed to traffic light controls, and is expected to be completed by mid-2023.
SH23 Dinsdale: Due to the Dinsdale Water Supply Upgrade project, traffic management will be in place around the Dinsdale Roundabout, Rifle Range Road, and the Rifle Range Road and Massey Street intersection until mid-February, dependent on weather and project progress. Full completion of the project is expected by late-April. The northbound lane of Rifle Range Road is closed to traffic. More information(external link).
SH23 Raglan Deviation: Cracking and slumping has occurred at a section of road approximately 1.6km west of Glentui Lane. The site is active and continuing to move, as such the road is closed to traffic. A temporary road is being constructed to allow vehicles to pass the affected area, and this will be open by the end of next week. Detour via Ngāruawāhia between Raglan and Whatawhata, using Ohautira Road. More information(external link). In a separate area of the Deviation, asphalt resurfacing work continues this week.
SH3 Glenview: Work has commenced at the Glenview Bus Hub, and this is expected to take three months to complete. Temporary traffic management and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h is in place. More information(external link).
SH21 Tamahere Interchange: Safety improvements under the Tamahere-SH21 Interchange continue with night works from Monday 13 until Thursday 16 February. The site will be closed to traffic between 8pm and 5am with detours in place. All other work will be completed under traffic management during the day. Work is expected to be complete by mid-February. More information(external link).
SH1 Maungatautari: Installation of two street lights near Karapiro Heights commences Monday 13 February, weather permitting. A temporary speed limit and shoulder closure will be in place between 7am and 7pm each day and stop/go traffic management will be in place at times. Work is expected to take a week to complete. Chipsealing takes place east of Maungatautari Road on the night of Sunday 19 February. Stop/go traffic management will be in place between the hours of 7pm and 5am.
SH30 Kōpaki: Due to safety concerns Kopaki Bridge is only open to local light traffic. The detour for all other vehicles is via Kopaki Road and SH4. More information(external link).
SH39 Pirongia – Road rehabilitation and bridge repairs will take place at the northern entry to Pirongia, commencing Monday 27 February. A road closure will be in place for two weeks from mid-March when the rebuild is taking place near the bridge, detours will be in place, with heavy vehicles advised to use SH3. Prior to this stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place.
SH4 Taumarunui: Following storm damage, a section of road north of Taumarunui, between the State Highway 43 intersection and Okahukura Bridge Road is under stop/go traffic management, controlled by traffic signals. Enabling works have commenced, and plans for the long-term repair of this road are currently being designed.

Taranaki

SH43 Aukopae: Washouts, rockfalls and overslips are present on SH43. Drive with caution.
SH3 Piopio: A slip has the road down to one lane between Mangaorongo and Paekaka Roads, which is being controlled by traffic signals. Delays of 5-10 minutes are expected. More information(external link).
SH3 Awakino Bypass: Work is expected to be complete late-March. Stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h speed limit will be present when work is taking place.
SH3 Awakino: A slip south of Awakau Road has the road down to one lane controlled by traffic signals and a 30km/h temporary speed limit. There are various other slips in the gorge that are currently not affecting traffic, however drivers are asked to drive with caution, and expect delays at the single lane section.
SH3 Tongapōrutu: A slip has the road down to one lane south of Tongapōrutu, which is being controlled by traffic signals. Delays of 5-10 minutes are expected.
SH3 Te Ara o Te Ata: Mt Messenger Bypass: A 50km/h speed limit is in place across a 5km section of SH3 at Mt Messenger. Temporary traffic management measures will still be in place occasionally as required. More information(external link).

For up to 48 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.

The above information is accurate at the time of release. Many of the above works are dependent on a number of factors, particularly weather, and may be postponed at short notice. For up-to-date information on road works, traffic, detours and delays, motorists are encouraged to visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website.