The push is now on for road work crews across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty in the lead up to Christmas. 

The next two months will see a flurry of chipsealing, asphalt surfacing and road rebuilding taking place across the region, along with the larger infrastructure projects that continue as well.

This volume of work is a sign of progress, says Roger Brady, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency acting Regional Manager Maintenance and Operations.

“Every worksite is a sign that crews are out on the roads improving the condition of the road, or resolving a related issue such as stormwater. This all contributes to improving the condition of the state highway network, resulting in smoother journeys for all.

“Given the volume of work, there are few sections of the network where people won’t experience some sort of disruption. It’s important during the summer months to factor in extra time to your journey, to ensure you arrive on time to your destination.”

Work has been planned to minimise delays, however the sheer volume of work makes it an unenviable task to try and mitigate disruption on all routes.

The Waka Kotahi Journey Planner (journeys.nzta.govt.nz) is the best place for information on the status of the state highway network. With live updates on worksites and other road hazards, Journey Planner can help road users plot the best route to their destination. 

Bay of Plenty

Tauranga 

• Takitimu North Link Stage One: Earthworks have commenced across a number of sites. On Wairoa Road, stop/go traffic management will be in place while trucks are crossing Wairoa Road, and 30km/h speed limits will be in place at all times within the construction area. Minden Road has a 30km/h speed limit throughout the construction zone. A temporary haul road into the Te Mete Valley is being constructed to support the summer earthworks season. The single-lane haul road will be separated from SH2. Road users should be aware of the new road layout and temporary speed limit of 60km/h on SH2 alongside the haul road. More information. 

• Cambridge Road: Construction work to complete the new Cambridge Road overbridge, between Bethlehem and Tauriko continues. Work to connect the bridge with Cambridge and Moffat roads and utility services will be completed in three phases. Phase 1 involves building a diversion road allowing traffic to flow during these works. While these works take place there will be slower speed limits in place on Cambridge Road, shoulder closures and when necessary, stop/go traffic management. 

• Cambridge Road (East): Tauranga City Council has commenced slip repair work at Cambridge Road East near the St Andrews Drive roundabout. Cambridge Road is now one-lane only while the work is underway, drivers heading into the city detour via St Andrews Drive, Castlewold Drive and Wakefield Drive. Drivers coming from the city are to use Cambridge Road as usual. There is a 30km/h speed restriction past the work site. The slip was caused by recent weather and the repair team has finished clearing the slipped soil and has now begun constructing a retaining wall to help prevent future slips. The repair is expected to be completed in mid-December, weather dependent.  

• Totara Street: Tauranga City Council will be completing road construction on Totara Street, between Maui Street and Triton Avenue, in November. When work takes place traffic will be reduced to one lane (open for travel between Mount Maunganui and Hewletts Road). Totara Street will be closed to ALL traffic heading to Mount Maunganui from Hewletts Road, with a detour via Newton Road. More information. 

• SH2 Bay Link: People travelling between Baypark and Bayfair will continue to see several road layout changes over the next few months with the project nearing completion. Closures will vary night to night, depending on site requirements and progress, and people are asked to allow extra time, follow signposted detours and drive with caution through the project site. To minimise impact, works are undertaken at night where possible with the aim to minimise disruption to people travelling through the area. More information. 

• SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road (TDTR): A reduced speed limit of 80km/h is in place while Takitimu North Link crews are working behind the barriers.  

• SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR): Traffic management for the Tauranga City Council led Pāpāmoa East Interchange construction project has been removed until construction of the interchange itself commences in early 2024. More detail will be shared closer to the time. More information. 

The Quayside Properties Ltd led Rangiuru Business Park Interchange project continues. Temporary barriers have been installed on both sides of the TELTR, and these will be in place until approximately June 2024, with one lane available in either direction. The barrier length is being extended over two nights from Wednesday 1 November, between the hours of 8am and 4pm each day. During these hours a temporary speed limit of 50km/h will be in place, otherwise a temporary speed limit of 70km/h applies through the site. More information. 

Western Bay of Plenty 

• SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa: Lane shifts and speed reductions are in place at four intersections (Sharp Road, Lockington Road / Matahui Road, Pahoia Road, Omokoroa Road) while testing activity and roundabout construction takes place. Road layout changes will occur as works progress. There will be intermittent stop/go traffic management which may cause longer delays, although typically there will be minor delays of one to two minutes. More information. 

• SH2 Wairoa Cycleway: The Tauranga City Council cycleway construction continues with work taking place both under the Wairoa bridge and in the on-road shoulder at night, with some stop/go traffic management planned for various nights over the coming weeks. The cycleway is due to be completed by mid-November 2023. 

• SH2 Pongakawa: Road rebuilding continues. Work is expected to be complete by early November, during this time stop/go traffic management and a westbound detour option via Pukehina Road, Old Coach Road and Pongakawa Station Road will be in place. Delays and additional travel time are expected. 

Rotorua

• SH36 Hamurana: Road resurfacing takes place at the intersection of SH36 and Hamurana Road from Sunday 6 November, taking approximately 1 week to complete. Stop/go traffic management will be in place between the hours of 7pm and 5am each night. 

• SH36 Ngongotahā: Road resurfacing will take place at the intersection of SH36 and Kokiri Street from Wednesday 1 to Friday 3 November between 7pm and 5am each day. A road closure will be in place between Western and Stembridge roads during work hours. The detour is via Western Road, SH5 and SH36 (Ngongotahā Road) and vice versa. 

• SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage Two: There are multiple active worksites on SH30 / Te Ngae Road between Iles Road and Ōwhata Road. In places there is stop/go, lane shifts and shoulder closures, temporary pedestrian crossings, footpath closures, and/or reduced speed limits. Nighttime road closure will be in place from Sunday 29 October to Thursday 2 November, and again on Sunday 5 and Monday 6 November for road resurfacing. Closures will take place between 8pm and 5am each night, during this time through traffic will be diverted via Vaughan Road. Minor traffic delays are expected. Access for local residents and businesses will be maintained at all times. More information. 

• SH33 Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa: Work on the SH33 safety improvements project continues with contractors working on a 5km section of road between Sun Valley Curves and Maniatutu Road. Work includes widening of the road corridor, installing safety barriers and improving drainage. Temporary traffic management will be in place including stop/go, lane shifts and shoulder closures while these works are underway. Minor traffic delays are expected. More information. 

• SH30/33 Te Ngae Junction: Final line marking and sweeping of the new roundabout at SH30/33 Te Ngae Junction will take place when weather allows. 
   

Eastern Bay of Plenty 

• SH2 Edgecumbe: Road rehabilitation continues near the Omeheu Canal. A full road closure is in place until mid-November, 7.30am to 4:30pm each weekday. HPMV vehicles to detour via SH30 and SH34, all other vehicles can use Main Street, Otakiri Road and SH34. Work is expected to be complete by late November. 

• SH2 Wainui to Ōpōtiki: Safety improvements between Parkinsons Road and Woodlands Road near Ōpōtiki continue. This work is expected to be complete in late 2023 (weather dependent). Works consists of shoulder widening and the installation of safety barriers. During this time road users can expect to see shoulder closures and/or stop/go operations in place, as required. Works will take place between 7am and 5pm each weekday. Please allow extra time for your journey as delays up to 10 minutes may be experienced.  

• SH2 Manganuku Bridge, Waioeka Gorge: Investigations are ongoing for the most effective way of repairing the bridge. The reduced speed limit of 30km/h for heavy vehicles will remain in place until further notice. Heavy vehicles must adhere to the speed limit as those travelling at higher speeds will exert greater loads on the structure, which currently poses a significant risk. 

• SH2 Waioeka Gorge Chipseal: Road resealing continues between Ōpōtiki and Matawai Monday to Friday each week. Stop/go and/or stop/stop traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place. More information. 

Waikato 
 
East Waikato 

• SH25: Recovery works are underway at a number of sites, with temporary traffic management such as lane closures and stop/go along with reduced speed limits in place where required. More information. 

• SH25 Thames: Road resurfacing will take place on SH25, south of the Goldfields shopping centre. The works will take place at night for two weeks, starting on Sunday 29 October. Stop/go traffic management will be in place on SH25, and from time-to-time side roads will be closed to help finish the work as quickly as possible. The affected side roads include Willoughby Street, Richmond Street and Sealey Street, access for residents will be provided from Pollen Street. Access to Richmond Street West will be maintained at all times. 

• SH25A Kōpū-Hikuai: A section of road near the summit has collapsed, and the road is impassable. Detour via SH26, SH2, SH25 via the Karangahake Gorge, or SH25 via Coromandel Town. Work to construct a bridge over the slip area is underway, and the bridge is expected to be open in March 2024. Additional works are taking place across SH25A while the road is closed. More information.  

• SH26 Puriri: work to repair the road pavement will start on Monday 6th November at a site south of Kopu, near Puriri.  The work is expected to be completed within two weeks and will be undertaken using stop/go traffic management. 

Central Waikato 

• SH1 Lichfield: The northbound slow lane near Puriri Road is closed until further notice, while investigations take place into repair options. 

• SH1 Ātiamuri: Temporary steel barriers have been installed nearby from Ātiamuri village to Ohakuri Road and a temporary speed restriction of 50km/h applies ahead of construction starting on safety barrier installation. More information.

• SH1 Oruanui: Road rehabilitation continues, and is expected to be complete by late October. Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place. Delays are to be expected. 

• SH1 Tuahu: Road rehabilitation commences Monday 13 November, and is expected to take 2 weeks to complete. During this time there are intermittent daytime road closures, alternating with stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits. When the road is closed light vehicles can detour via Tirohanga Road, Forest Road and Oruanui Road. Heavy vehicles need to detour via SH30 and SH5. All vehicles can use SH32 as an alternative route south. More information. 

• SH1 Maroa Road: Daytime stop/go traffic management is in place on weekdays along with a temporary speed restriction, while finishing works and final surfacing are completed by Christmas. 

• SH1 Wairakei: Road rehabilitation continues, and is expected to be complete by mid-November. Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place. Delays are to be expected. 

• SH5 Mamaku: Road rebuilding continues at a 560m section within the Mamaku Range. Stop/go traffic management will be in place between 6am and 6pm each day, Monday to Friday. Work is expected to be complete by late November. 

• SH41 Tokaanu: Due to a washout, the road is down to one lane under temporary traffic lights, with a 30km/h temporary speed restriction in place. 

• SH5 Iwitahi (Napier/Taupo Road): Road rehabilitation continues, and is expected to be complete by mid-November. Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place at all active worksites. Delays are to be expected. 
   

West Waikato 

• SH1 Waikato Expressway - Ngāruawāhia Section: Safety improvements and remedial works require the closure of a single lane in each direction with a 50km/h temporary speed limit, until completion. Major southbound surfacing works in November and December will require a block of night closures and detours for approximately 5 weeks. The closures will take place from Sunday to Thursday each week, running from 12 November to 14 December, 7pm to 5am each night. The detour is via SH1B Gordonton Road. Light traffic can turn off at Lake Road to re-join SH1 at the Northern Interchange. Heavy vehicles must use SH1B, including the local road detour at Telephone Road, and connect to SH1 again at Cambridge or via SH26 into Hillcrest. More information. 

• SH1 Tamahere: Road resurfacing takes place at night from Sunday 12 November, for 4 nightsnat. During this time there will be two nights of southbound closures with all traffic detoured via the off and on ramps, then two nights of northbound lane closures including the off and on ramps. During the northbound work detours will be in place for traffic wanting to use the Tamahere Interchange, please follow all signage and instructions from crew members. 

• SH1 Karāpiro (Keeley’s Reserve): The bulk of the work has wrapped up on the turnaround bay at Keeley’s Reserve in Karāpiro. The reserve has now reopened to the public and the turnaround bay is able to be used. Due to a nation-wide shortage, the streetlighting system is yet to be installed, and this will be completed just prior to Christmas or in early 2024. More information. 

• SH3 Ōhaupō: The Waipā District Council led Ōhaupō Village pedestrian safety improvements are underway and are expected to take 6 months to complete. During this time lane shifts and stop/go traffic management will be in place, along with temporary speed limits. 

• SH30 Te Kūiti: Due to a slip, priority give-way is in place near Mangaokewa Road, motorists are advised to proceed with caution. 

• SH30 Benneydale: Road resealing takes place in the Benneydale area for two weeks, with work taking place under stop/go traffic management between 6am and 8pm each weekday. This work is weather dependent. Minor delays are expected when sealing is taking place. 

North Waikato 

• SH1 Waikato Expressway – Rangiriri Section: Remedial works requiring various interchange ramp closures continue until mid-November.  SH1 traffic is being managed through the site with a temporary speed restriction of 50km/h, The final stage, starting 5 November will see the Te Kauwhata Interchange southbound off and on ramps closed, with drivers needing to use the Rangiriri ramps. More information. 

• SH2 Maramarua: Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place from Monday 30 October to Thursday 2 November, between 9pm and 5am each night.