Waikato and Bay of Plenty state highway works for September 2022

16 September 2022 10:50 am | Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

With just a few weeks until the start of the road renewal season, contractors are getting ready to deliver on the largest programme the Waikato & Bay of Plenty region has seen.

Over 700 lane kilometres of the network will be rebuilt or resealed this season, which equates to approximately 14% of the regional state highway network.

Road users will see works taking place across the state highway network, with some crews looking to get ahead early, says Cara Lauder, Waikato System Manager at Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

“The early summer months are predicted to have higher than expected rainfall due to the La Niña weather pattern that has re-established itself. Contractors have looked at how they can deliver their programmes, and many are commencing work towards the end of this month as a way to make the most of any dry weather.

“We acknowledge that roadworks are disruptive, especially when there can be multiple sites within close proximity to each other. As much as possible we will look to minimise this to ensure everyone can get to their destination as planned.

“I encourage everyone to check our various sources of information before heading out, especially the Journey Planner which provides real-time updates,” says Ms Lauder.

Journey Planner(external link)

Nationally Waka Kotahi is aiming to renew 2450 lane kilometres of the state highway network, equivalent to approximately 10% of the network.

Bay of Plenty

Tauranga

Tauranga Marathon: The Tauranga Marathon takes place on Sunday 18 September. With the third Bunnings NPC game being played on the same day at Tauranga Domain, the city centre is likely to be busier than usual and drivers should expect some delays. As part of the marathon traffic management, the SH2 Chapel Street off-ramp will be closed from 7.30am – 2pm with a signposted detour in place. More information(external link).
Takitimu North Link Stage One: A range of construction activities are taking place between Te Puna and Bethlehem. This includes stop/go traffic management in place at Wairoa Road, and a number of shoulder closures and temporary speed limits. More information.
SH2 Tauranga Harbour Bridge: Bridge maintenance will be undertaken between Tauranga Marina and Chapel Street, between 8pm and 4am overnight Sunday 18 September. Minor delays are expected.
SH2 Hewletts Road: As part of the Tauranga City Council Totara Street cycleway project, work at the intersection of SH2 Hewletts Road and Totara Street is scheduled to begin on Monday 19 September, and will be completed in November. Construction works will include signalising the existing slip lane and upgrading the island to provide a fully signalised crossing for shared path users. These works will take place between Tasman Quay and Totara Street each night between 8pm and 5am. Eastbound traffic along Hewletts Road will be reduced to one lane during this time. Minimal delays are expected. More information(external link).
SH2 Bay Link: From the morning of Tuesday 20 September - the first vehicle entrance to Bayfair Shopping Centre on Girven Road after the Bayfair roundabout will reopen, and Girven Road eastbound between the Bayfair roundabout and Gloucester Road will be restored to two lanes.. There will be a single lane closure on SH2/Maunganui Road from Concord Avenue to Exeter Street from approximately 7pm to 7am on Monday 19 September to prepare for this change in road layout. If you are travelling between these hours, please drive with caution through the project site and follow the instruction of all crew members and site signage. This scheduled work is weather-dependent. If it is delayed due to weather or other unforeseen issues, it will be carried out during the next suitable shift. Drivers are reminded of the new layout at the Bayfair roundabout. For people approaching the roundabout from Matapihi, the left lane is now a left turn only and the right lane is for traffic going straight through and turning right. More information.
SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road: A section of the Kopurererua Valley cycleway is temporarily closed while services are relocated alongside SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road. There is an alternate track parallel to the closed section and signposted for track users. This work is expected to be completed in September. More information.
SH26 Pyes Pa: Tauranga City Council is undertaking watermain and wastewater pipe installations; work is expected to be complete in mid-October. During this time northbound traffic from the SH26/Pyes Pa roundabout will be detoured via Pyes Pa Road through to the SH29A Barkes Corner roundabout. Delays of up to 15 minutes during peak times are expected. More information(external link).
SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR): For the Tauranga City Council led Pāpāmoa East Interchange project, traffic on the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road, just north of the Kaituna River Bridge continues to be down to one lane in either direction. This is to allow the installation of a culvert across the TELTR, which will enable earthworks in preparation for construction. Speed is reduced to 50km/h through the work site. Under normal circumstances, we anticipate any delays to be less than two minutes. It is expected that reinstatement to three lanes and an increased temporary speed to 70km/h will occur late-September - this will then be in place until late April 2023. More information(external link).

Western Bay of Plenty

SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa: Safety improvement works continue at five active sites: between Athenree Road and Tanners Point Road, Tanners Point Road to Tuapiro Road, Rea Road / Tetley Road intersection, Morton Road intersection and Apata Station Road to Esdaile Road. Minor delays are expected. More information.
SH2 Athenree to Pahoia: Road surface repairs will take place in multiple locations. Work will be undertaken between 7pm and 6am each night, from Monday 19 to Thursday 22 September. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place.
SH2 Te Puna: SH2 will be closed between the SH2/Te Puna Road/Minden Road and SH2/Clarke Road intersections on both Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 October, between the hours of 5am and 4pm, to allow tree removal to take place. A detour via Te Puna Road, Te Puna Station Road and Clarke Road will be in place. Delays are expected.

Rotorua

Rotorua Marathon: The Rotorua Marathon takes place on Saturday 17 September. Traffic management will be in place on roads around Lake Rotorua, including the state highway network. More information(external link).
SH20 Eastern Corridor Stage Two: Multiple worksites are active between Iles Road and Puketāwhero Park to excavate the shared service trench for the relocation of underground services and installation of the new watermain. The upgraded footpath on the lakeside between Iles Road to Basley Road, heading east on SH20/Te Ngae Road, is now open, including the installation of a temporary pedestrian crossing on Sh20/Te Ngae Road adjacent to Lynmore Rise Village. Works continue in the area and pedestrians are asked to take care. More information.
SH20/SH23 Te Ngae Junction: Intersection safety improvement works are ongoing. Starting at 4.30pm on Sunday 18 September to Friday 23 September, the contractor will be working around the clock, while the existing road surface is removed. While this work is underway two lanes of traffic will remain open, with a reduced speed limit of 30km/h through the site. Traffic will be maintained in both directions however the works may cause minor traffic delays and people are asked to take extra care while traveling through the site. More information.
SH23 Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa: Safety improvement upgrade work continues near Pareteiro - Sun Valley Curves passing lane. During the day and when the crew are on site, either two lanes will be open or stop/go will be in place – depending on the works. A temporary speed limit of 30km/h applies. Outside of work hours and when the site is unattended, the worksite will have a shoulder closure and a temporary speed limit of 50km/h. There are also ongoing shared path works between Mourea Bridge and Ōkere Falls. Traffic management will be a combination of shoulder closures and stop/go as required to carry out the works safely. Allow extra time. More information(external link).

Eastern Bay of Plenty

SH25 Motu River: 24/7 single lane access has been reinstated, with traffic signal control in place, along with a 30km/h temporary speed limit. There will be periods where traffic is stopped at each end to allow works to take place across the full road width. Works will continue until late-September. More information.
SH20 Awakeri to Whakatāne: Investigation works within the road corridor will commence during the week starting Monday 19 September. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place between 6pm and 4am. More information.
SH20 Whakatāne: Resurfacing work between SH2/Gateway Drive/Phoenix Drive and Whakatāne Landing Bridge commences late-September, taking up to three weeks to complete. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place between 6pm and 6am Sunday to Thursday; during this time Coastlands residents will have a signposted single direction detour. Temporary speed limits will remain in place during the day when there are uneven surfaces.
SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki: Service relocation work between Pohutukawa Drive and Paerata Ridge Road commences on Monday 19 September. Stop/go traffic management will be in place during the day when this work is taking place. This work is expected to be complete by the end of the month. More information.

Tairāwhiti Gisborne/Hawkes Bay

SH25 Kopuaroa: The site remains under stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h at all times. Enabling works for the longer-term solution have commenced. More information.
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.

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 will continue into 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.
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.
SH4 Upokongaro to Raetihi: Crews continue to clear material from numerous slip sites. Traffic is generally reduced down to one lane past these slip sites during working hours. At sites 150m north of Burrell Road and 3km north of Burrell Road, SH4 is reduced down to one lane due to underslips with priority give way and 30km/h speed limits in place. At Aberfeldy, 1km north of Parihauhau Road, speed is reduced to 50km/h due to an underslip compromising the edge line of the northbound lane.

Waikato

East Waikato

SH25 Coromandel: The Coromandel state highway chipseal programme commences on Monday 26 September and will continue through until late November. Expect delays due to multiple sites under stop/go traffic management and/or temporary speed limits.

Central Waikato

SH1 Putaruru: Road resurfacing at the SH1/Main Street roundabout will be undertaken on Thursday 29 September, between 7pm and 6:30am During this time the road will be closed, with a detour via Neal Street, Commerce Street and Market Street. Minor delays are expected. Further resurfacing just north of the roundabout will take place on Tuesday 4 October, lane diversions will be in place while this is completed.
SH1 Ātiamuri: Safety improvements on a 4.5km stretch of SH1 between Maroa Road and Tram Road, south of Ātiamuri, are continuing. A 50km/h temporary speed limit is in place through the site and stop/go traffic management with a 30km/h temporary speed limit may also be used at times between 9am and 3pm Monday to Friday. More information.
SH1 Desert Road: The road is down a single lane near Tree Trunk Gorge Road, due to washouts. Temporary traffic signals are in place along with a temporary speed limit; road users are reminded to comply with the traffic management on site. Work to repair the slips is expected to commence late-September.

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.

SH1 Tamahere: SH1 at Tamahere is reduced to one lane in each direction for safety improvements to bring the road up to 110km/h design and safety standards. Work is expected to be complete mid-October. People are asked to take care when driving through the site and follow the posted speed limit of 70km/h. More information.
SH3 Te Awamutu: Resurfacing of SH3 Sloane Street, between Vaile Street and Fraser Street, will commence mid October. Between 6pm and 6am the road will be closed, with a detour via Golf Road and Cambridge Road. Work is expected to take three nights to complete.
SH2 Te Kūiti: Work is taking place to make the entrance to Te Tokanganui-a-Noho marae safer for pedestrians to cross SH2 Awakino Road. Traffic heading east on Sh20 will need to detour north along Carroll Street, cross the railway line on Ward Street and then head south on Rora St. The same detour will apply in reverse for westbound traffic. The project is expected to be complete by the end of September. More information.
SH20 Kōpaki: A localised drop out between Kōpaki Road and Ohirea Road means temporary traffic signals are in place to control traffic, along with a temporary speed restriction of 30 km/h. Repairs are complete at a slump near Kōpaki Bridge; however, this site remains under a temporary speed restriction. Truck drivers are reminded that the existing Kōpaki rail overbridge has a maximum weight limit of 6 tonnes. If compliance with the load restriction doesn’t greatly improve, the potential risk to both road and rail users will force us to close the road to all traffic. The detour route between Maniaiti/Benneydale and Te Kuiti is via Kōpaki Road and SH4.
SH4 Taumarunui: Following storm damage, a section of road north of Taumarunui 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.

North Waikato

SH1 Hampton Downs: This section of the expressway will be without lighting until November, while work continues on upgrading the state highway. Traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction as safety improvements are made to the road, bringing it up to 110km/h design and safety standards. People are asked to take care when driving through the site by following the posted speed limit of 70km/h. More information.
SH1 Bombay: Due to multiple maintenance activities there is a full closure southbound between Mill Road, Bombay and Nikau Road on Sunday 18 September between 9pm and 5am. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes. The Mill Road intersection will have traffic management in place to guide traffic through the area.

Taranaki

SH2 Piopio: A slip has the road down to one lane, which is being controlled by traffic lights. Delays of 5-10 minutes are expected. More information.
SH2 Te Ara o Te Ata: Mt Messenger Bypass: Stop/go controls are operating daily, with delays of up to 15 minutes expected. The lane closure allows for Bypass enabling works. More information.
SH2 Awakino: A slip has the road down to one lane under stop/go traffic management 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.
SH2 Waitara: Northbound light vehicle traffic is being detoured via Waitara to enable stormwater works to be carried out for Te Ara Tūtohu Waitara to Bell Block safety improvements. Heavy vehicles and all southbound vehicles continue to use SH2 under stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h speed limit. Delays of between 5-10 minutes can be expected. Sealing work is being completed next week, before the detour is lifted, with stop/go remaining on SH2. More information.

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.