Waikato and Bay of Plenty state highway works for March 2024

It’s now autumn, but that doesn’t stop the maintenance roadshow as contractors work towards completing the 2023/24 road renewals programme.

Road works have been a feature of people’s journeys across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty this summer with over 250 lane kilometres being resealed.  

This may be frustrating for some drivers, however making the most of the warm and dry weather means our roads will be stronger and more resilient for longer, explains Frankie Evans, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Bay of Plenty Journey Manager.

“We’ve been busy across the region. Key areas to see a lot of activity include SH2 north of Tauranga, where 8 of 20 resealing sites are still to be completed between Ōmokoroa and Katikati; the focus will then shift to a number of sites on SH2 south near Pongakawa.  

“We’re really pleased the work on SH1 Desert Road, involving a series of overnight road closures to enable significant asphalt works between Rangipo and Waiouru, has been completed ahead of schedule. This shows how beneficial it is when contractors can work in an environment without traffic.” 

Across the region, where works are taking place, it is important motorists follow temporary speed limits to ensure the safety of other road users, road workers and themselves. 

While most drivers are getting it right through worksites, it is disappointing to see some people speeding and putting others at risk, says Ms Evans.  

“Speeding vehicles can flick up loose metal and other objects, which can be dangerous to our road workers and other road users.  

“Motorists also have less control at higher speeds. They may clip road cones and send them flying at our road workers or oncoming traffic - or lose control completely.  

“Even when there is no one working on site, we may leave speed limits in place to protect road users.

“Drivers should also consider reduced visibility and the effects of temporary surfaces at night and in bad weather, as well as the safety of motorcyclists and cyclists.   

“Safety is always our highest priority, and we make no apologies for this,” says Ms Evans.  
 
For up-to-date travel information please check Journey Planner.

Bay of Plenty

Tauranga

• Takitimu North Link Stage One: Earthworks are underway across a number of sites. On Wairoa Road, stop/go traffic management is in place while trucks are crossing Wairoa Road, and 30km/h speed limits is in place at all times within the construction area. Work in this area will become more evident as the Wairoa Road bridge is completed in preparation for its opening. Minden Road has a 30km/h speed limit throughout the construction zone. A temporary haul road, separated from SH2, into the Te Mete Valley is operational to support the summer earthworks season. Temporary speed limit of 60km/h on SH2 alongside the haul road. More information(external link). 
• Cambridge/Moffat roads: Construction work to complete the new Cambridge Road Overbridge, between Bethlehem and Tauriko continues. Until April 2024, there is a full closure of a section of Moffat Road between Tauranga Adventist School and Cambridge Road (East). This is disruptive, there are local alternative routes for light vehicles, and all heavy vehicles can use SH29/Takitimu Drive Toll Road. More information(external link).  
• Waihī Road, Tauranga: Tauranga City Council will be undertaking asphalt resurfacing work working on Waihī Road until Sunday 10 March, the SH2 on-ramp to SH2 Takitimu Drive will be closed during this time.  
• SH2 Bethlehem: On Sunday 3 March repairs will be made to the surface at the new cycleway crossing near Bethlehem. Stop/go traffic management will be in place between 9pm and 5am.  
• SH2 Bay Link: People travelling between Baypark and Bayfair will continue to see road and lane closures at night. This week these are from Sunday 3 March to Friday 8 March (approximately 7pm to 6am each night) on Maunganui Road southbound between Concord Avenue and SH2/SH29A Te Maunga interchange, and across SH2/SH29A Te Maunga interchange. Closures will vary night to night, depending on site requirements and progress, and people are asked to allow extra time, follow signposted detours and drive with caution through the project site. To minimise impact, works are undertaken at night where possible. More information(external link).    
• SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road (TDTR): A reduced speed limit of 80km/h is in place while Takitimu North Link crews are working behind the barriers.  
• SH2/Fifteenth Ave: Early works are underway at SH2/Fifteenth Ave where an on-ramp bridge connection will be built as part of the Takitimu North Link project. Tree felling will take place from Thursday 7 to Saturday 9 March (7.30am – 6pm) with a shoulder closure in place from the Cameron Road intersection onto SH2. Stop/go will be in place Saturday 9 March on Fifteenth Ave. 
• SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR) Shared Path: The shared path alongside SH2 is diverted until May 2024. An alternative option for path users is available via Kaituna Road and Te Tumu Road. 
• SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR): The Quayside Properties Ltd-led Rangiuru Business Park Interchange project continues. Temporary barriers will be in place until approximately June 2024, with one lane available in either direction. A temporary speed limit of 70km/h applies through the site. More information(external link). 

Western Bay of Plenty

• SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa: At Sharp Road, roundabout construction is underway with significant activity on the southbound lanes. There will be intermittent stop/go in place which may cause longer delays, however, typically there will be minor delays of one to 2 minutes. In the Athenree Gorge, lane shifts and speed restrictions are in place while line markings are changed.
• SH2 Apata Curves: Road widening works are underway with lane shifts and speed restrictions in place. There will be intermittent stop/go traffic management in place which may cause longer delays, however typically delays will be between one to 2 minutes. Please follow the temporary signs and directions of the traffic management team.
• SH2 Tahawai: Lane shifts, shoulder closures and speed restrictions are in place between Kauri Point Road and Stokes Road as services are relocated. These works are expected to be completed by the end of February.
• SH2/near Loop Road, Te Puna: Construction continues at the western tie-in of the Takitimu North Link project, where utilities need to be moved. 
• SH2 Bethlehem to Athenree: Resealing is underway at a number of locations on SH2 between Bethlehem and Waihī. Reseals between Te Puna and Ōmokoroa will result in some line-marking changes with wide centrelines installed (providing greater separation for opposing traffic). 
• SH2 between Te Karaka Drive and Barrett Road: Road rehabilitation night works near Whakamārama will start on Sunday 3 March between 8pm and 5am. For the first 3 nights (Sunday 3 to Tuesday 5 March), stop/stop will be needed between Barrett Road and Te Karaka Drive. During this time there will be a one-hour traffic hold with a 10-minute release to allow 60m sections to be milled and resurfaced. On Wednesday 6, Thursday 7 and Sunday 10 March, traffic control will revert to stop/go. No work will take place on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 March. More information(external link)

Rotorua

• SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage Two: Work is underway between Ōwhata Roundabout and Tumene Drive, including surface milling, asphalting and stormwater connections in the westbound lane. Multiple active worksites may include stop/go, lane shifts and shoulder closures, temporary pedestrian crossings, footpath closures, and/or reduced speed limits. The bus stops outside 473 and 429 SH30 Te Ngae Road are closed for approximately 2 weeks, while construction is underway on new bus stop foundations. The nearest operational bus stop is located 50-metres west on SH30 / Te Ngae Road (towards Basley Road). Access for local residents and businesses will be maintained at all times. More information(external link).
• SH33 Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa: Temporary traffic lights are in place 24/7 until mid-March while pavement construction is underway. Minor traffic delays are expected for this work about 6km north of Ōkere Falls. Other work includes widening of the road corridor, installing safety barriers and improving drainage. Temporary traffic management is in place including stop/go, lane shifts, shoulder closures and reduced speed limits. More information(external link).
• SH30/33 Te Ngae Junction: From 6pm Monday 4 March night work begins on installing safety barriers at the roundabout. Work will take place between 6pm and 7am for 5 nights (weather permitting). Temporary traffic management in place includes stop/go, lane shifts, and reduced speed limits. Minor traffic delays are expected.  More information(external link).

Eastern Bay of Plenty

• SH2 Manganuku Bridge, Waioeka Gorge: A reduced speed limit of 30km/h for heavy vehicles will remain in place until further notice. Heavy vehicles must adhere to the speed limit as those travelling at higher speeds will exert greater loads on the structure, which currently poses a significant risk. Repairs will start on the bridge in mid-March and will take 3-4 weeks to complete. 

Tairāwhiti Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay

• SH5 Napier to Taupō: Recovery alliance Transport Rebuild East Coast is undertaking work at multiple sites on State Highway 5. This includes safety improvements at various high-risk curves, as well as repair, recovery and routine maintenance work. Overall, please plan for delays of 30-45 minutes across the whole SH5 Napier to Taupō corridor. While this work takes place, stop/go traffic management and temporary reduced speed limits of 30km/h and/or 50km/h are in place in certain areas. Safety improvements are underway at Marshall’s Bridge between Eskdale and Glengarry, and south of the passing lane between Te Pōhue and Te Hāroto. In addition, TREC will start work in early March to improve safety at the slow vehicle bay and curves near Tarawera Cafe. As work is dependent on many other variables such as weather, these dates may change at short notice. More information(external link)

Manawatū-Whanganui

• SH1 Utiku: Road repairs are in progress with a view to restoring the road back to 100km/h by the end of March. Currently 2 lanes are open through the site at 30km/h, from time to time there will be stop/go traffic management in place. 
• SH1/3 Bulls to Sanson: Full night closures continue to allow for roundabout tie-in works. The section of SH1/3 outside Base Ohakea is closed at night between 7.30pm and 6am Sunday nights to Friday mornings. The southbound detour for light vehicles is via Tangimoana Road, Taylor Road and onto SH1. The southbound detour for heavy vehicles is via Tangimoana Road, Campion Road and onto SH1. The detour for all northbound traffic is via Fagan Road, Speedy Road, Tangimoana Road and back onto SH1/3. The new roundabout is now open with a 30km/h speed restriction in place and uneven surfaces at times. During daytime hours (and on Friday and Saturday nights), all motorists will be travelling on the new road alignment. More information(external link). 

Waikato

• A variety of safety improvements across the Waikato are about to commence, these will contribute towards making the roads safer. A programme of work about to start includes a mixture of new and modified signage, new hazard warning signs, roadside safety/barrier guard rail, road widening, improved road lines and improved road markings. It is expected there will be minimal disruption for motorists while this work is completed. The works will take place over the next 3 months. More Information(external link). 

East Waikato

• SH25 Coromandel: Recovery work is underway along SH25 to repair damage caused by last summer’s severe weather. The sites include Wharekaho and Pumpkin Hill. Stop/go traffic management will be in place at these locations. More information(external link). 
• SH25A Taparahi Bridge: SH25A will be closed overnight on Wednesday 6 March to allow our team to carry out some final works at our new bridge on SH25A Taparahi. The closure is needed to install new rubber seal into one of the bridge joints which runs across the full width of the road. At the same time grates will be installed on the side drains along the eastern road approach. The work is being done overnight to minimise disruption to road users, with the road closing from 9.30pm on Wednesday 6 March until 5.00 am on Thursday 7 March. Detours will be via SH25 along the Thames coast and Coromandel township or via SH26/SH2/SH25 through the Karangahake Gorge, Waihī and Whangamata. Access for local traffic along SH25A will be maintained up to the bridge from both the east and west. Work to finish the restoration of SH25A at the Taparahi worksite is expected to be completed by the end of March. More information(external link)
• SH25 Ruamahunga: Our team working to stabilise the large slip site at Ruamahunga is making great progress and needs equipment and supplies delivered to the top of the slope by helicopter on a regular basis. Moving forwards, from this Friday 23 February, these deliveries will be made every second Friday until further notice. This will usually be done between 12 noon and 2.00pm and means SH25 will be closed at the site for short periods so the helicopter can safely operate over the road to deliver those important supplies. The road will be closed in both directions for up to 20 minutes at a time and then reopened to allow traffic to clear before the next closure. 
• SH27 Waharoa: Safety upgrade work continues on SH27 between Walker Street and McGowan Street and is expected to take up to 4 weeks to complete. SH27 is open to traffic, under lane diversions and stop/go traffic management when needed. Car parks on SH27 will be inaccessible during this period, however the rest area and car park across the road from the Pitt Street intersection will remain open and a safe crossing will be provided at all times. Minor delays are to be expected.
• SH27 Mangatarata: Stop/go traffic management will be in place until early March, while a southbound side barrier, new signs and line marking (including rumble strips) are installed. At times, there will be nightworks between 7pm and 6am, and a reduced speed limit. Minor delays are expected.
• SH24 Matamata to SH29: From early March to mid-April stop/go traffic management will be in place at times while road widening work is completed, followed by signage and rumble strip installation. Minor delays are expected.  

Central Waikato

• SH1 Lichfield:  Road rehabilitation continues until Tuesday 5 March. There will be stop/go in place from 6am-6pm Monday to Saturday along with a temporary speed limit. 
• SH1 Ātiamuri: Road widening is under way for safety barrier installation along a 6.9km section of SH1, from the Waikato River Bridge south to Thorpe Road. Work is behind temporary safety barriers and there is a 50km/h speed restriction. 
• SH1 Maroa Road: The 4.8km site is currently operating at 100km/h until finishing works for the safety barrier installation resume.   
• SH1 East Taupō Arterial: Road widening and flexible safety barrier installation continues between Napier Road and the airport roundabout. Speed restrictions will be in place, with completion expected to be mid-2024. More information(external link).   
• SH5 Wairakei: Stage two of road rehabilitation near Palmer Mill Road continues until mid-March. Work will take place from Monday to Saturday between 6am and 6pm with stop/go traffic management in place with temporary speed limits. Outside of these hours both lanes will be open with reduced speed limits. 
• 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. Works to repair the washout are due to begin early April and will take 3-4 weeks to complete. 

West Waikato

• SH1 Waikato Expressway - Ngāruawāhia section: Safety improvements and remedial works continue with another block of current night-time closures now underway. Southbound closures are from Sunday 3 March to Thursday 7 March, 7pm-5am. The southbound detour uses SH1B, with light traffic rejoining SH1 via Lake Road. Heavy vehicles (50 tonnes and above) must continue on SH1B, including the local road detour around Telephone Road, and connect to SH1 again at Cambridge or via SH26 into Hamilton. More information(external link)
• SH1 Waikato Expressway – Rangiriri Section: After remedial work last year, final surfacing starts from Wednesday 6 March and will be completed in time for Easter. SH1 traffic will be on single lanes during the work, and on the 2-3 days of sealing in each direction on and off-ramps will be closed. Northbound ramps close 6-7-8 March (weather dependent), southbound ramps close 17-18-19 March (weather dependent may vary). More information(external link)
• SH1C Hamilton: On Sunday 3 March, between 8pm and 5am, resurfacing will take place on Mangaharakeke Drive on the Crawford Street roundabout. This work is expected to take 3 nights to complete. Light vehicles will be detoured via Forest Lake Road, Te Rapa Road and the Horotiu interchange. HPMV’s, over dimension, heavy vehicle and city buses will use Avalon Drive with stop/go traffic management in place at the intersections of SH1C Avalon Drive and Crawford Street. Vehicle access to Crawford Road will be maintained for Fonterra and KiwiRail sites. 
• SH3 Glenview: Resurfacing is taking place from Glenview to Melville on SH3 until Friday 8 March. SH3 Ohaupo Road will be closed to northbound traffic between Collins Road and Mount View Road on Thursday 7 March between 8pm and 8am. A detour will be available via Collins Road, Prisk Street, Mount View Road, Vivian Street, Mahoe Street to SH3. HPMV’s, heavy vehicles and over dimensional vehicles will be stacked near Saxby’s Road and released at regular intervals.  
• SH1/SH29 Piarere Intersection: Work is underway constructing the access road, drainage works and installing environmental controls. Temporary traffic management is in place, including shoulder closures and lane shifts, please follow the instructions of the team on site and any temporary traffic signage. Traffic delays are expected during construction in this area and an increase of vehicle movements including truck and trailers carrying material to site. More Information.(external link)
• SH1 Karāpiro: Work is underway on a section of SH1 between Keeley’s Reserve and Moana Roa Road in preparation for median barrier being installed mid-2024. The main construction work involves 1.5km of shoulder widening, temporary barrier installation, earthworks and pavement construction, followed by surfacing, lighting and permanent barrier installation. During the majority of the construction the slow (left-hand) lane of the southbound passing lane between Keeley’s Reserve and Moana Roa Road will be closed, and the worksite will be under a temporary speed limit of 50km/h. Access in and out of Kentucky Road will remain open. Construction is expected to be finished by late June. 
• SH1 Karāpiro (Gorton Road): The construction of a turnaround bay at Gorton Road continues and will be followed by another at Tunakawa Road. While construction crews are onsite, there is no right turn onto Gorton Road. This means southbound traffic wanting to access Gorton Road will need to travel to the new turnaround bay at Keeley’s Reserve to change direction. This adds around 4-6 minutes to your journey. Previously the right turn onto Gorton was reopening on weekends/outside of work hours, however this is no longer occurring due to safety concerns and confusion to motorists. The left turn onto Gorton Road, and left and right turn onto SH1, will remain for the duration of construction, with a stop sign rule applied. More information.(external link)
• SH1 Karapiro (Hickey Road): Construction of the fifth turnaround bay in the SH1 Cambridge to Piarere safety improvements project, just north of Hickey Road, will begin Monday 4 March. Along with constructing the turnaround bay, the work will involve road widening at the weigh station on SH1, between Hickey and Hydro Roads, and installing median and side safety barriers. Construction hours are 7am – 6pm Monday to Saturday, with no work on Sunday or public holidays, and temporary traffic management will be in place during construction. The impact on SH1 traffic is expected to be minor, although there are multiple worksites between Cambridge and Piarere, so some delays to journeys are expected. Residents located within the work site, between the end of the Waikato Expressway and Hydro Road, will only be able to enter and exit their properties via left-in/left-out turning movements, as the SH1 southbound lane will be diverted into the centre median for duration of construction. Once the median barrier is installed, the left-in/left-out arrangement will remain, and people driving will need to make use of the turnaround bays to change direction. Work is expected to be completed by early June 2024, subject to weather. More information(external link)
• SH3 Ōhaupō: The Waipā District Council led Ōhaupō Village pedestrian safety improvements are underway and are expected to be complete by early March. During this time lane shifts and stop/go traffic management will be in place, along with temporary speed limits. 
• SH23 Raglan: SH23 will be closed overnight between 9pm and 5am between houses #4095 and #4180, this is to enable crews to remove existing road layers and replace them. Vehicles will be allowed through the worksite at 9.45pm, 11pm, 1am and 3am. The work is expected to be completed in early March. More Information(external link)
• SH31 Kawhia: Work is taking place between the Kawhia Saddle and the Kawhia lookout, this means SH31 will be closed to through traffic between 8am and 5pm on Thursday 7 March. Vehicles will be given access between 12pm and 1pm.  
• SH30 Kopaki: The underpass repairs are due to start Thursday 7 March and are expected to take 4 weeks to complete. There will be stop/go traffic management in place 24/7, however between 7am and 5pm there will be periods of stop/stop while machinery is moved around the site. Delays of up to 30 minutes should be expected.  
• SH30 Te Kūiti: Due to a slip, priority give-way is in place near Mangaokewa Road, motorists are advised to proceed with caution. 
• SH3 Te Kūiti: Drivers on SH3 are advised to expect delays, with work taking place to build a retaining wall and culvert on a stretch of highway between Te Kūiti and the SH3/SH4 junction. For the first few days of construction traffic will be down to one lane with stop/go traffic control while the highway is temporarily widened on the southbound shoulder. Drivers should expect short delays at this site. Once this is done the road will be reopened to two lanes under speed restrictions for up to three months while the retaining wall and culvert are being built, with a few days of stop/go expected at the end of the project.  

North Waikato

• SH2 Pokeno: Slip repairs are being carried out until Tuesday 12 March between 7am and 7pm outside Max Birt Sawmills, Pokeno (1.5km from the SH1 Southern Motorway onramp). During this time there will be speed reductions in place and road layout changes. More information(external link)
• SH2 Mangatāwhiri: From Sunday 25 February until Monday 11 March there will be stop/go from 9pm to 5am at the east bound Mangatāwhiri off-ramp for maintenance. 
• SH1 Pioneer interchange to Mercer interchange: There will be a full southbound closure on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 March between 10pm and 5am for resurfacing. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes.  

Taranaki

• SH3 Uruti: Slip repairs continue at SH3 Uruti, north of Mangamaio Road. The work includes the installation of rock mesh protection to improve the safety and resilience of this slip-prone area of the network. The site will be run under stop/go traffic controls 24/7 with delays of approximately 10-15 minutes for the duration of construction and is expected to be completed by the end of March. 
• SH3 Mt Messenger: From 7pm on Friday 5 April to 4am on Monday 8 April SH3 Mt Messenger will be closed for resurfacing. There will be scheduled openings to clear traffic queues. Outside this time, road users can expect stop/go traffic management at night between 6pm and 6am between Tuesday 2 April and Friday 19 April, with delays expected of up to 15 minutes. Road users are encouraged to plan ahead.  
• SH3 Te Ara Tutohu Waitara to Bell Block: Until mid-June, Princess Street will be closed between SH3 and Armstrong Avenue to everyone except residents while roadworks continue. People travelling to or from Waitara via Princess Street will need to use Nelson Street or Bayly Street. Those wanting to access Princess Street west from Princess Street east (Tikorangi side) will need to use Bayly Street. Both lanes of SH3 are open, and a temporary roundabout will be in place at the Princess Street and SH3 intersection, with the current traffic lights removed. The roundabout is expected to be complete by mid-2024 More Information(external link)
• SH4 Paroparowhero Culvert Replacement: Work to repair damage from heavy rainfall on SH4 north of Taumarunui, between the intersection of SH43 and Okahukura Bridge Road will continue until June 2024. The repair work involves a temporary lane to maintain traffic flow under 24/7 e-light stop/go controls, while crews install a 3.5 x 4 metre box culvert. The work is scheduled to take approximately six months, weather permitting. Road users are asked to plan ahead for delays of up to 15 minutes in this area. 

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 NZTA Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)). 

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