Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
As people continue their holiday travel plans or are returning back to work, they will notice road contractors out in force taking advantage of the good weather and advancing significant maintenance programmes across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty state highway network.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and its contractors are completing an ambitious programme to improve safety and resilience of the network and whilst delays are expected, many considerations have to be made for how to complete these important works.
“Waka Kotahi monitors the weather forecast closely, and sites and timings will change at short notice. We are making the most of the summer weather and before schools go back,” says Roger Brady, Bay of Plenty System Manager, Maintenance and Operations.
“Our key focus is to keep people using the roads and our contractor crews safe. While this can mean there are last minute changes to our maintenance programmes, we provide as up-to-date information as we can.
“There will be other work sites across the network not mentioned below, although we are keen to provide advance notice of some of the more disruptive works.
“For next week, MetService is forecasting Cyclone Cody to approach the country on Sunday and affect a large portion of the northern and eastern North Island and the upper South Island,” says Mr Brady.
Waka Kotahi encourages people to check the weather forecast before travelling this weekend, with Cyclone Cody expected to hit New Zealand in the coming days.
Visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website for up-to-date information for your journey.
Journey Planner(external link)
Bay of Plenty
Western BOP
- SH2 Takitimu Drive/Waihī Road overbridge: A 500m section of SH2 Takitimu Drive under the Waihī Road overbridge is reduced to one lane in each direction until approximately the end of January, and the Waihī Road/Takitimu Drive on-ramp and off-ramp (Koromiko Street) is closed with detours in place. More information on Journey Planner – Bay of Plenty roadworks page(external link).
- SH2 Bay Link project: Reminder that SH2 between Bayfair roundabout and Te Maunga intersection is will be closed this weekend Saturday 15 January until 5.30am on Monday 17 January 2022. Detours will be in place, More information on Bay Link project page(external link).
- SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road: The eastbound lanes between Papamoa and Paengaroa will be closed between 6am and 1pm on Saturday 22 January as part of the cycle route for the Mount Festival of Multisport. The alternative route for motorists during this time will be via the Te Puke Highway.
- SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa: Safety improvement works are back underway with four active sites between Athenree Road and Tanners Point Road, Rea Road / Tetley Road intersection and Lund Road to Sargent Drive, as well as resealing sites which will be carried out at night. More information in the Waka Kotahi media release.(external link)
Rotorua
- SH36 Rotorua to Tauranga: Closure of SH36 between Hamurana Road (Rotorua-Tauranga turn-off) and Te Matai Road will be in place for 11 nights between 7pm to 5am from Sunday 16 January to Thursday 27 January 2022 to carry out chipseal, asphalt and drainage works.
On Wednesday 19 January, during the daytime there will be two chipseal sites; the first site is between Joyce Road and Oropi Gorge Road and the second site is between Mangatoi Road and Whataroa Road.
- SH5 Tarukenga to Ngongotahā: Remaining road widening and further barrier installation, landscaping and road rehabilitation are underway. These works are expected to be complete late-February 2022.
- SH30 Te Ngae Road, Iles Road to Basley Road: Construction for the SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage Two is expected to start in late-January / early-February 2022. Traffic management will be in place.
- SH30 Te Ngae corridor (north of Rotorua Airport): Chipsealing between Cookson Road and the SH30/33 Te Ngae junction intersection on Tuesday 18 January.
- SH33 Maniatutu: Chipsealing work will be undertaken between Allport Road and Maniatutu Road on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 January.
- SH30 Ātiamuri to Rotorua: Chipsealing between Apirana Road and Bryce Road gets underway from 17 January.
Eastern Bay of Plenty
- SH2 Waioeka Gorge: HPMV strengthening work on four bridges in the Waioeka Gorge is programmed to start from 17 January 2022 and continue through to April 2022. The bridges are Owhiritoa Stream Bridge, Omaukora Bridge, Gibson Bridge and Sandys Bridge.
From Monday 17 January there will also be 14 chipseal sites in the Waioeka Gorge between Waiata Road and the Gisborne/BOP boundary.
Waikato
East Waikato
- SH29 and SH24, western (Waikato) side of Kaimai Range: Road rehabilitation works will re-commence on SH29 and SH24 on the Waikato-side of the Kaimai Ranges from 16 January. Full road closures from 8pm – 5am on 16, 17, 23 and 24 January. In between these closures there will be alternating one-way closures on 18, 19 and 20 January. During the alternating closures, westbound traffic may travel across the Kaimai between 9pm – 12pm, and Eastbound traffic between 12.30am and 4.30am.
- SH26 Paeroa roundabout: General maintenance work, including the installation of new hit sticks, will take place at the SH2/SH26 Paeroa roundabout in January. Peak traffic periods will be avoided.
- SH2 Karangahake Gorge: Night closures planned for February, details to follow. Peak traffic periods will be avoided.
- SH27 Mangawhero Stream bridge: SH27 will be detoured south of Matamata from 17 January to 14 April to allow for the completion of new stretches of road either side of the new bridge being built over the Mangawhero Stream. Traffic will be detoured along SH29, Hopkins Road and Hinuera Road, adding around 3.7 kilometres to a journey between Tirau and Matamata. More information in the Waka kotahi media release.(external link)
Central Waikato
- SH28 Whites Road (Te Waihou walkway access): Road rehabilitation work is underway on SH28 (Whites Road), between SH1 and SH5, and will be closed to through traffic until early March. The closure will be in effect on weekdays between 6am – 6pm. All vehicles will be detoured via the SH1/SH5 roundabout at the southern end of Tirau. The car park on SH28 that provides access to the Te Waihou (Blue Springs) walk will be closed during the works.
- Resurfacing SH1 Wairakei Roundabout: Resurfacing night works will take place on SH1 between Kauri Drive and the Wairakei River bridge south of the SH1/SH5 roundabout from 23-28 January and 8-11 February, 6pm – 6am. During this time four-way Stop/Go traffic management will be place.
- SH1 Desert Road, SH4, SH41, SH47 and SH49: Contractors will be laying chipseal on SH1 Desert Road, SH4 between Manunui and National Park, SH41 and SH47 between Turangi and National Park and SH49 between Waiouru and Ohakune from mid-January. Sites will be Stop/Go with a 30km/h temporary speed limit during the works.
West Waikato
- SH23 chipseal sites: Repair work on SH23 near Raglan will start on the night of Sunday 16 January and last for approximately two weeks. Stop/Go traffic management will be in place. The first week crews will be working Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights only. During the second week starting Monday 24 January crews will be working during the day.
For 24 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.
Some of the above works are weather dependent and may be postponed in the case of poor weather. For up-to-date information on road works, traffic, detours and delays, motorists are encouraged to visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website.
Journey Planner(external link)
Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience while we complete this essential work to keep the state highways safe and resilient.
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