Motorists using Te Puke Highway during January and February are being advised to allow extra time when travelling, with road reconstruction work expected to cause delays.

Beginning on January 11, work will be undertaken to reconstruct a 300m stretch of road along the highway, from No1 Road to Waiari Bridge.

Delays are expected on Te Puke Highway between January and February. Photo: File.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council Development Engineering Manager, Peter Clark, says the work is expected to cause some delays and thanks motorists in advance for their patience.

Speed restrictions and traffic controllers will be in place during the construction period, which is expected to take about five weeks.

'Road users will have to travel at a reduced speed for safety reasons,” says Peter, 'however we are working to minimise delays by staging the works to avoid peak traffic.”

Peter says this is the first of seven road reconstruction works planned for Te Puke Highway over the next 18 months.

Reconstruction work is also scheduled for completion before May 2016 at Affco intersection and between Gerrands Entrance and Bell Road.

The work will involve digging up and removing the old road and replacing it with new roading before sealing and roadmarking.

A second sealing will be applied in summer 2016/17 and includes a 1m centreline.

'This is the first stage of the Te Puke Corridor Revocation Project, which will see Te Puke Highway modified for its new purpose as an arterial road,” says Peter.

He says it's important contractors complete this work during summer as the warmer, dryer weather guarantees the most effective and safe results.

'We know people have a lot of pressures at this time of the year, which makes it all the more important to build in time to avoid any added stress.

'We want everyone to have a safe holiday.”

The Te Puke Corridor project is a result of council taking ownership of the newly-named Te Puke Highway, previously State Highway 2, from the New Zealand Transport Agency following the opening of the Tauranga Eastern Link in August this year.

The first road reconstruction work is expected to cost $320,000, with NZTA funding the renewal works.