From late March to late May, we are rebuilding 2 sections of SH3, one north and one south of the intersection of SH3 and Waitara Road.
Rebuilding the road involves removing the existing road surface and underlying road structure (pavement) and replacing it with new materials. This will help maintain the road’s reliability and longevity.
From late April to late May, we will also start on Stage 4 of the Waitara Road roundabout which will see the completion of the roundabout itself.
The southern rebuild was completed on 17 April 2025. The northern rebuild is underway and due to be completed by 28 May 2025.
Once the rebuilds and Waitara Road roundabout are complete, work will start on the section of Raleigh Street between SH3 and Tate Road including turning it into a cul-de-sac, with access in and out via SH3. We will provide an update on traffic management prior to work starting.
Northern rebuild
From Monday 28 April to Wednesday 28 May 2025, we will rebuild a section of SH3 north of the intersection of SH3 and Waitara Road.
During this time, we will also complete work on Stage 4 of the Waitara Road roundabout.
To allow work to take place safely and efficiently, we will close SH3 from the Raleigh Street intersection to south of the Nelson Street intersection 24/7 until the rebuild is complete.
We are unable to complete the rebuild at night as overnight temperatures will be too low in May for the rebuild to be completed successfully.
A detour will be in place through Waitara via Raleigh Street, High Street West, Cracroft Street, McLean Street, and Nelson Street. An illustration of the detour is attached.
Homes and businesses will continue to be accessible during the closure. Emergency services will also be able to travel through the site.
To keep the detour route through Waitara safe for everyone we will put in place temporary safety changes, including temporary speed limits.
Once the rebuild and Waitara Road roundabout are complete, work will start on the section of Raleigh Street between SH3 and Tate Road including turning it into a cul-de-sac, with access in and out via SH3.
View larger/downloadable map [PDF, 866 KB]
Waitara Road access
During the northern rebuild access to Waitara Road will be impacted.
The left turn out of Waitara Road will be closed from Thursday 8 May until Monday 19 May, as we complete asphalt work on State Highway 3 (SH3) south of the Waitara Road intersection.
We previously planned to have the left turn open during the entirety of the closure. Unfortunately, as we were unable to complete the asphalting work during the rebuilds north of the intersection earlier this month, we now need to close the left turn for just under 2 weeks.
A detour via Richmond Road and Kairau Road East is in place for people to travel between SH3 and Waitara Road.
The right turn out of Waitara Road and access to Waitara Road from SH3 will remain closed during the rebuild as we previously advised.
We apologise for any inconvenience this change may cause.
Why we’re closing the road
We understand that this closure will be an inconvenience for the local community and everyone who uses this stretch of road.
We investigated if there were other options that didn’t involve road closures. Closing the road is the only option to complete this work safely and efficiently, without prolonged impact to traffic.
We ran a successful closure and detour through Waitara over the summer of 2023-2024 and are using what we learned from that experience, along with feedback we receive, to guide how these closures will work.
Safety during the Waitara detour
The Waitara detour will mean more traffic in Waitara, particularly during peak times.
To ensure the safety of Waitara residents and people using the road we will put in place temporary safety changes, including temporary speed limits.
The detour route will be closely monitored by traffic management crews and will be adjusted if necessary.
What you can do to help keep everyone safe
- Stick to the temporary speed limits and keep an eye out for people walking and cycling.
- When out walking and cycling along the detour route, be aware of the increase in traffic and take extra care.
- Let your tamariki know there will be more cars and trucks on the road and encourage them to be extra careful and always cross at the dedicated crossing points.
- Report any issues or instances of poor driver behaviour to NZTA or NZ Police.
