Taranaki region maintenance programme

Maintaining your roads

We’re ramping up maintenance work in Taranaki to promote safe, secure, and reliable access for communities.

We know that a well-maintained state highway network promotes safety and improves options for moving people and freight.

The 2024/2025 road maintenance season will see 32 lane kilometres of state highway in the region rebuilt.

Doing more maintenance with a higher number of road rebuilds is a key priority in the region.  This is how we improve road condition long-term, providing secure and reliable access for communities.

Increased road maintenance is also a priority in the Government Policy Statement on land transport to support economic growth and productivity.

Because summer in Taranaki is busy with lots of different events planned we’re starting the maintenance season in the region in September, a month earlier than normal, to get our work completed as soon as possible.

We are working with communities and key stakeholders including councils, freight and haulage industry and emergency services to plan our works and minimise impact as much as possible on people using the roads. However, some level of disruption will be unavoidable and we appreciate your patience while we complete this necessary work as soon as we can.

To stay up to date with work happening on the State Highway network this summer and to plan your journey, visit Journey Planner.

Journey Planner(external link)

Driving safely though worksites

During the maintenance season months, road users can expect to encounter a number of roadwork sites and sections of newly sealed road on their journey.

It is important that drivers follow the temporary traffic management in place and adhere to all speed restrictions in place for the safety or road users and crews alike.

Speeding over a freshly sealed road can damage the new seal, lifting and flicking stones from the road that can, in turn, damage nearby vehicles or your own.

To minimise the risk of damage to both vehicles and the new seal, it is crucial that road users adhere to all temporary speed restrictions in place. 

We appreciate your patience and understanding while we work to improve the condition of Taranaki state highways.

Work locations

Why are there so many roadworks in summer?

Watch our video to find out why summer is the best time to carry out roadworks.

Tips for driving through worksites

Watch our video for tips on driving safely through worksites.

Tips for driving on freshly laid chipseal

Watch our video with advice for driving on freshly laid chipseal.

Frequently asked questions

If you have questions about highway maintenance, have a look at our highway maintenance frequently asked questions.

Highway maintenance frequently asked questions

Compensation requests

Occasionally you may experience an issue on the state highway network that results in damage to your vehicle. Examples of this include chipped windscreens when driving on a section of newly sealed road, or tyre damage when driving over a pothole.

NZTA, through its road maintenance contracts, has an obligation to take reasonable care to maintain the state highway network in a good condition. However, in doing so we're constrained by available funding, weather events and resources. For this reason, we can't guarantee that the entire network will ever be free of defects.

You should drive to the local conditions, and recognise that conditions may vary along a stretch of road. You should have insurance for your vehicle in the event of any damage that may occur on the road, and your insurer should be your first point of contact when any damage has occurred.

Projects in Taranaki

Visit the pages below to learn about projects NZTA has underway in Taranaki.

• Te Ara Tūtohu: SH3 Waitara to Bell Block
• Te Ara o Te Ata – Mt Messenger Bypass
• SH3 New Plymouth to Hāwera
• SH43 Forgotten World Highway