Safety improvements on Rotorua’s northern gateway for traffic from Hamilton and Tauranga are nearing completion with the removal of the Western Road detour at the State Highway 5/36 roundabout near Ngongotahā.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says work is planned to take place on Sunday night to reduce impact on traffic and will involve the removal of the detour and partially opening the roundabout by 6am on Monday morning.
The roundabout will remain a construction zone with traffic management in place while contractors apply final surfacing, complete the slip lanes from Ngongotahā to Rotorua and Rotorua to Hamilton, and finish line marking, concrete footpaths, driveways and landscaping. These works require the roundabout to remain single lane in each direction for the next three weeks, weather dependent.
There will be a 50km/h temporary speed limit through the roundabout. The two temporary roundabouts at Western Road and in Ngongotahā may remain in place for a few days until the weather allows for removal of line markings. The final layer of surfacing will be completed in November.
Waka Kotahi asks road users to keep to the speed limits and watch out for crews on the roadside. Safety is our priority and we want everyone to get home safely.
Signs are in place to advise road users of the upcoming road layout changes. While the new roundabout will be open, the community is being advised to expect delays as people get used to the new road layout and while the roundabout continues to be an active worksite for the next few weeks as final works are completed.
Waka Kotahi acknowledges the upgrade is a disruptive piece of work and thanks the local community and road users, especially those who commute through our work site daily, for their patience during recent months.
