Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Recent fine, warm weather has been a boon for sealing crews across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty state highway network.
Warm and dry weather provides the ideal conditions for laying chipseal, as it helps the stones adhere to the bitumen. As night-time temperatures rise, sealing will start to take place overnight in higher volume areas.
With seven weeks before the Christmas/New Year shutdown period, crews are looking to get ahead of their programme, says Cara Lauder, Waikato System Manager at Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
“We have already seen some excellent results, such as 13.5 centreline km sealed on SH35 east of Ōpōtiki, structural asphalt resurfacing of SH27 in Matamata, and great progress on the annual SH25 sealing programme around the Coromandel Peninsula.”
Over the coming weeks road users will see an increase in activity, especially on the West and Central Waikato networks, with resurfacing and resealing activity commencing.
“This work is going to be disruptive, however if road users plan ahead they will be able to see where worksites are dotted around the region, and they will be able to plan the most effective route to their destination.
“The Waka Kotahi Journey Planner is the best tool to use before travelling, as this provides real-time updates on the network,” says Ms Lauder.
Waka Kotahi Journey Planner(external link)
This work forms part of a national 2500 lane kilometre renewal programme across the country, to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2023.
Bay of Plenty
Tauranga
- Takitimu North Link Stage One: A range of construction activities are taking place between Te Puna and Bethlehem including Cambridge Road, Harrison Road, Wairoa Road and Minden Road, there are a number of shoulder closures and temporary speed limits. More information(external link)
- SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road: A reduced speed limit of 80km/h will be in place while contractor crews are working behind the barriers. More information(external link)
- 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 underway and will be completed by mid-November. Construction work includes 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 from Sunday to Thursday night between 8pm and 6am. Eastbound traffic along Hewletts Road will be maintained on both lanes but will be reduced to one lane intermittently during this time. Minimal delays are expected. More information(external link)
- SH2 Bay Link: There will be single lane closures on the approaches to Bayfair roundabout and around the roundabout between Girven Road and Matapihi Road from approximately 7pm to 6am, Sunday 6 November to Thursday 10 November. In addition, Bayfair roundabout between Matapihi Road and Girven Road will be closed during these shifts to enable this work to be completed safely. Road users travelling from Matapihi Road towards Girven Road or Pāpāmoa/TEL, and from TEL/Pāpāmoa towards Girven Road, will need to follow a signposted detour via SH2/Maunganui Road northbound, the Golf Road roundabout and SH2/Maunganui Road southbound. We will be placing asphalt around the Bayfair roundabout before switching the position of the lanes around the roundabout. This switch will lead into the next stage of construction of the new signalised Bayfair roundabout. During the upcoming stage, all existing traffic layouts at Bayfair roundabout will be retained. On Matapihi Road, the left lane approaching the roundabout will remain left turn only and the right lane will continue to be for traffic going straight through and turning right only. If this work is delayed due to weather or other unforeseen issues, it will be carried out during the next suitable nights. Drivers are reminded of the new layout at the Bayfair roundabout. 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 is back to three lanes. Whilst earthworks continue on the south side of the road, both eastbound lanes are open and normal speed applies. One westbound lane is open whilst work continues in the outer westbound lane, speed past the worksite is set at 70km/h. This layout will remain in place until April 2023. More information(external link)
Western Bay of Plenty
- SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa: Safety improvement works continue at five active sites: between Tanners Point Road to Kauri Point Road, Rea Road / Tetley Road intersection, Lockington Road / Matahui Road intersection, Morton Road intersection and Apata Station Road to Esdaile Road. Minor delays are expected. More information(external link)
Rotorua
- SH5 Tarukenga: Chipsealing takes place west of Rotorua between the hours of 7am and 7pm. Where works are taking place stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit will be in place.
- SH36 Ngongotaha: Asphalt resurfacing will take place from Sunday 13 to Wednesday 16 November. Work will take place from 7pm to 6am each night, during this time SH36 will be closed. Light vehicles
- SH30 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. Temporary traffic management will be in place with no left turn lane out of Basley Road to SH30/Te Ngae Road, and no left turn from the SH30/Te Ngae Road westbound lane into Tennyson Drive; minor delays are expected. The upgraded footpath on the lakeside between Iles Road to Tennyson Drive, heading east on SH30/Te Ngae Road, is now open. Works continue in the area and pedestrians are asked to take care. Minor delays are expected. More information(external link)
- SH30/SH33 Te Ngae Junction: Construction of the safety improvements continue with excavation, stabilising and pavement work underway on the western side, with a shoulder closure in place. At times there will be minor traffic delays, and people are asked to take extra care while travelling through the site. More information(external link)
- SH33 Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa: Safety improvement upgrade work continues near Pareteiro – Sun Valley Curves passing lane. Temporary traffic management is in place with a contra flow or stop/go and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h during work hours. 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 work between Mourea Bridge and Ōkere Falls. Temporary traffic management sees a combination of shoulder closures and stop/go as required. This may cause minor traffic delays. More information(external link)
Eastern Bay of Plenty
- SH35 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. Work will be completed in early-November. More information(external link)
- SH35 Chipseal: Chipsealing continues, work will take place during the day, between the hours of 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday. When works are taking place stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit will be in place. The majority of this work is expected to be complete by mid-November.
- SH35 Tōrere: Road rehabilitation continues, immediately north of Tōrere. Work is expected to take four weeks to complete, during this time stop/stop and stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place. Delays of 30 minutes or more can be expected.
- SH30 Awakeri to Whakatāne: Pavement and utility site investigation work along SH30 between the SH2/SH30 and Shaw Road/SH30 intersections continues. Works will be undertaken across a number of sites, at night or during the day (depending on the specific task), under stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit.
- SH2 Pekatahi Bridge: Bridge maintenance will take place in early-December, which will involve day-time closures for two-three days. During this time a detour will be available via Whakatāne. More information to follow closer to the time.
- SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki: Service relocation work between Pohutukawa Drive and Paerata Ridge Road continues. Stop/go traffic management will be in place during the day when this work is taking place. More information(external link)
- SH2 Waioeka Gorge: A section of the Waioeka River is in close proximity to the road edge. A shoulder closure is in place, and remedial works will be completed in early-November.
Tairāwhiti Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay
- SH35 Kopuaroa: The site remains under stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h at all times. Main improvement works to realign the highway onto more stable ground are underway. Delays are to be expected. More information(external link)
- 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(external link)
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 continues, and crews will be on the network until late-November. Expect delays due to multiple sites under stop/go traffic management, one-way detours and/or temporary speed limits.
- SH25 Kaimarama: Road rehabilitation work at the intersection of Kaimarama Road commences Monday 7 November. Work will take place between 8am and 5pm, with stop/go traffic management in place and a temporary speed limit through the site for the duration of the works.
- SH25 Hikuai Bridge: The bridge is closed to all traffic from 8pm to 6am, Sunday to Thursday, until late-November. This closure is necessary while essential and significant maintenance work is completed. During this time the bridge will be open to traffic during the day with temporary traffic management and a speed restriction of 10km/h in place. More information(external link)
Central Waikato
- SH28 Okoroire: Road rehabilitation work at the intersection of Okoroire Road continues, and is expected to be complete by mid-November. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place.
- SH1 Lichfield: Road reconstruction work commences near Baldwin Road in Lichfield. Northbound light vehicles detour via Wiltsdown Road, Old Taupo Road, Waotu Road, Arapuni Road, Arapuni Street and Princes Street. Northbound heavy vehicles will be sent past the site via stop/go traffic management. Work is expected to be complete late-November. More information(external link)
- 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(external link)
- 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. Repair work is underway; there will be short periods of stop/stop traffic management to move machinery to/from site. To allow soil anchors to be installed the Desert Road will be closed between Rangipo and Waiouru on Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 November, from 7am to 5pm each day. Detour via SH46, SH47, SH4 and SH49. More information(external link)
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(external link)
- SH1 Waikato Expressway – Ngāruawāhia Section: Northbound night-time closures continue this week, and southbound closures will be in place over the following fortnight. The detour for light vehicles is via Great South Road, over-weight and over-dimension loads will need to use SH1B. Following these closures there will be a combination of lane closures, contraflow and additional night-time closures to complete the remainder of the work. More information(external link)
- SH1C Hamilton: Asphalt resurfacing will take place on SH1C Cobham Drive between Cobham Bridge and Riverlea, from Sunday 13 to Wednesday 16 November. Work will take place at night between the hours of 7pm and 6am each night. Detours or stop/go traffic management will be in place for each site; please follow all traffic management signage and crew instructions.
- SH39 Pirongia: Bridge strengthening work commences next week at the Whatiwhatihoe Bridge south of Pirongia, stop/go traffic management will be in place between Monday 31 October and Friday 11 November. More information(external link)
- SH30 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. More information(external link)
- SH4 Taumarunui: Following storm damage, a section of road north of Taumarunui, between the State Highway 43 intersection and Okahukura Bridge Road 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: A series of overnight ramp closures are taking place until Thursday 15 December. Due to the narrow width of the on and off ramps, a full closure is needed for the barrier work to ensure the safety of site staff and to enable construction vehicles to safely enter and leave the site. The recommended detour when the southbound ramps and the northbound onramp are closed is to use the Te Kauwhata Interchange, travelling along Rodda Road and Whangamarino Road. For the northbound offramp closures the recommended detour is to head north past the interchange to Dragway Road, use the turnaround and then access the interchange using the southbound offramp. More information(external link)
- SH2 Maramarua: Due to maintenance activities, stop/go traffic management will be in place at the Kopuku Road intersection on Thursday 10 November between 9pm and 5am.
Taranaki
- SH3 Piopio: A slip has the road down to one lane between Mangarongo and Paekaka Roads, which is being controlled by traffic signals. Delays of 5-10 minutes are expected. More information(external link)
- SH3 Awakino Bypass: Final surfacing works are taking place from November. Stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h speed limit will be in place.
- SH3 Awakino: A slip south of Awakau Road has the road down to one lane controlled by traffic signals 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.
- SH3 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(external link)
- SH3 Uruti: Road reconstruction is underway between Uruti Road and Mimi Road, with work expected to be complete early-November. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit are in place; delays are expected. More information(external link)
- SH3 Waitara: Stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h speed limit are in place while wastewater work continues. 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 SH3. More information(external link)
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 website.
Waka Kotahi Journey Planner(external link)
Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience while we complete this essential work to keep the state highway network safe, accessible and resilient.
Manawatū-Whanganui
