Waikato and Bay of Plenty state highway works for January 2023

After a wet start to the New Year, contractors across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty have been enjoying the recent sunshine and taking the opportunity to progress road renewals.

However, the impacts of Cyclone Hale are continuing to be felt across the region, says Roger Brady, Bay of Plenty System Manager at Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

“Earlier this week contractors noted cracks appearing on SH25A between Kopu and Hikuai. The road was closed for approximately 36 hours while investigations took place, allowing us to understand the full extent of the issue. Once we received confirmation that the road could be safely traversed during daylight hours we have put the appropriate measures in place to allow this.

“We appreciate that this route is heavily used during long weekends, with people heading to towns on the eastern side of the Peninsula, and we’re pleased we can accommodate this.”

Elsewhere, good progress has been made on road renewals during the early stages of the month, with more to follow.

“Chipsealing crews have been back on the network for a couple of weeks now, and they are starting to make good progress thanks to the warmer and drier weather,” says Mr Brady.

“Our programme for the remainder of the summer is ambitious, however if we don’t achieve this we’ll have more problems in winter. This will mean a lot of roadworks and disruption, however planning ahead will ease the frustration.

“Using the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner, which provides real-time updates of network conditions, including traffic delays, will help road users plan their way around the most disruptive worksites. Our Summer Journeys page will also be available in the lead-up to long weekends, helping holidaymakers choose the best time to travel to their destination.”

Waka Kotahi 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 coming weeks, when there is consistent 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: A single, northbound lane closure on SH2, from Exeter Street to Concord Avenue, is currently scheduled for the night of Friday 20 January, from 7pm to 6am, to allow fascia panels to be lifted into position on the Bayfair flyover’s northern ramp (the ramp closest to Golf 360). At the same time, works are planned to remove some sheet piling from the work zone adjacent to the underpass. There may be minor delays for people using the underpass between 7pm and 6am. Access to Truman Lane is via SH2 Sandhurst interchange only, with access to Truman Lane from the State Highway 29A roundabout closed. Follow detours and allow extra time. All Truman Lane businesses, including Baypark Stadium and Te Maunga transfer station, will remain accessible. On Matapihi Road, the left lane approaching the Bayfair roundabout will remain 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. During the week Powerco will undertake service relocation works adjacent to the Takitimu North Link worksite. A 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place, and stop/stop traffic management will be required for short periods while drilling takes place, between 9am and 4pm each day. More information(external link)
• SH2 15^th Avenue: Work continues on the upgrade of the intersection at SH2/15th 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.
  Asphalt resurfacing will take place on the 15th Avenue on-ramp on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 January, between 7pm and 6am. A lane closure and temporary speed limit will be in place, minor delays are expected.
  
• SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR): For the Tauranga City Council led Pāpāmoa East Interchange construction project, traffic on the TELTR, just north of the Kaituna River Bridge, has three operational lanes. Whilst earthworks continue on the south side of the road, both eastbound lanes are open and normal speed applies. One westbound lane is open whilst work continues alongside the outer westbound lane. A temporary speed limit past the worksite is 70km/h. This layout will remain in place until April 2023, including over the holiday period. More information.(external link)
  The Quayside Properties Ltd led Rangiuru Business Park Interchange project has commenced. Temporary barriers are being installed on both sides of the TELTR. This will be complete by late-January, following this the barriers will be in place for approximately nine months, with one lane available in either direction. During installation and subsequent works a temporary speed limit of 70km/h will apply through the site. More information(external link) 
• SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR) Event: The eastbound lanes between Domain Road (Pāpāmoa) and Paengaroa will be closed between 5.30am and 1pm on Saturday 21 January as part of the cycle route for the Mount Festival of Multisport. The alternative route for people driving eastbound during this time will be via Te Puke Highway. Westbound lanes will remain open under usual operation. 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. Minor delays are expected. More information(external link).
  Stop/go traffic management will be in place during the day at the Morton Road roundabout site on Wednesday 25 January. Significant delays are expected throughout the day.
  Chipsealing continues in this area on the night of Sunday 22 January. Weather permitting, work will take place over three weeks, from 7pm to 6am each night. During this time stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place.

Rotorua  

• SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage Two: Multiple worksites are active on SH30/Te Ngae Road between Iles Road and Puketāwhero Park to excavate the shared service trench for the relocation of underground services and installation of the new watermain. Temporary traffic management will be in place with all eastbound traffic - including heavy haulage - required to turn left at Marino 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, no left turn onto SH30/Te Ngae Road from Tennyson Drive, a left turn only into Basley Road from SH30/ Te Ngae Road and a left turn out of Basley Road to 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 with a contra flow or stop/go and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h 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)  
• SH36 Mangapouri: Chipsealing takes place in the Mangapouri area throughout the week. Stop/go and stop/stop traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place while works take place, and while new seal beds in.

Eastern Bay of Plenty 

• SH2 Waioeka Gorge: Road reconstruction commences Monday 23 January at the northern end of the Waioeka Gorge. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place, delays are expected. Work is anticipated to take three weeks to complete.
  An underslip at the road edge sees a section of road under priority give-way. Care is required when driving through this area.
• SH38 Waimangu: Asphalt resurfacing will take place in three locations between Waimangu and Murupara from Sunday 22 January, taking six days. Work will take place between 7am and 5pm each day, during this time stop/go and stop/stop traffic management will be in place, along with a temporary speed limit. Delays are expected.

Tairāwhiti Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay 

• SH35 Tairāwhiti: The road between Tolaga Bay and Ruatoria is now open, expect delays and drive with care.
• 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) 
• SH35 Turihaua: A temporary speed limit of 60km/h will be in place in and around the freedom camping areas between Turihaua to Pouawa. This will be in effect until 1 February.
• SH2 Napier - Wairoa: Numerous slips have been cleared following Cyclone Hale, however temporary speed limits and stop/go traffic management will be in place where full road width cannot be utilised. 
• 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 Kakatahi: Road reconstruction has commenced at a 300m section near Macintoshs Road. Stop/go traffic management will be in place Monday to Friday, between the hours of 6am and 6pm. Work is expected to be complete early-February. Delays are expected.
• SH4 Upokongaro to Raetihi: Ground investigations have commenced at a site north of Hawken Road.

Waikato 

East Waikato 

• SH25A Kopu-Hikuai: Following Cyclone Hale cracks have appeared in the road. Following investigation, the road has been deemed safe to travel on during daylight hours (7am - 7pm), with stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place at the affected area. The road will be closed overnight, with detours via SH25 or SH2. More information(external link)
• SH2 Karangahake Gorge: The speed limit throughout the 600m section between Crown Hill Road and School Road has been reduced from 80km/h to 50 km/h, until after Waitangi weekend. More information(external link) 
• SH26 Morrinsville: Road reconstruction work outside the Fonterra dairy factory will continue through to the morning of Friday 27 January. The road will be closed 24 hours per day in a westbound direction only, between Canada Street and Waverley Avenue, although access will be maintained for residents, trucks and emergency services. A detour will be provided for all other vehicles.  

Central Waikato 

• SH1 Tirau: Road resurfacing continues just north of Tirau until Tuesday 24 January. Work will take place at night, Sunday to Tuesday, between the hours of 7pm and 6am each night. During this time northbound traffic will be detoured via SH27 and SH29; southbound traffic will use SH1 as normal.
• 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) 
• SH1 Waitahanui: Road reconstruction continues outside the Fonterra factory. Work will take place between the hours of 7am and 5pm, six days a week, until mid-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.

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 restart from the night of Monday 6 February after a pause over the holidays. Temporary safety barriers will be re-installed, requiring night-time closures and detours. These start from the night of Monday 6 February for south-bound traffic. North-bound traffic will see closures and detours the following week.
• SH1C Mangaharakeke Drive: Resurfacing work on the southbound lanes near Foreman Road commences Monday 23 January and is expected to take three nights to complete. Work will take place between 8pm and 5am each night, during this time southbound traffic will be detoured from the Horotiu Interchange, then via Te Rapa Road, Forest Lake Road and Lincoln Street to re-join SH1C.
• 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)
• 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 have resumed with further night works. The site will be closed to traffic between 8pm and 5am with detours in place on Monday 23, Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 January. All other work will be completed under traffic management during the day. Work is expected to be complete by early-February. More information(external link)
• SH1 Maungatautari: Safety improvements continue on SH1 south of Maungatautari Road. Over 1km of flexible median barrier installation and changes to the road layout, including the removal of the southbound passing lane, will be complete by early-February. Work will take place between 6pm and 6am, Sunday to Thursday nights. During this time southbound traffic will be detoured via Karapiro Road, Taotaoroa Road and SH29, northbound traffic will drive past the site with a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place. More information(external link)
• SH3 Otorohanga: Road reconstruction continues at a site just south of Otorohanga. Work will take place between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday, and is expected to be complete late-January. During this time stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place.
• 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)
• 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 

• SH3 Piopio: A slip has the road down to one lane between Mangarongo and Paekaka Roads, which is being controlled by traffic signals. Delays of 5-10 minutes are expected. More information(external link)
• SH3 Awakino Bypass: Final surfacing works have paused for the holiday period. Work is expected to be complete late-February. 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 has been introduced across a 5km section of SH3 at Mt Messenger. Lane closures and stop/go traffic management will still be in place intermittently. More information(external link)
• SH3 Onaero: Pavement rehabilitation work is ongoing between Ohanga and Onaero River Roads until early-February. Work is taking place between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Saturday. During this time stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place. Delays are expected.
  
  

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(external link)

Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience while we complete this essential work to keep the state highway network safe, accessible and resilient.