Petrolheads will be converging on Taupō between April 19 and 21 for the New Zealand round of the V8 Supercars Championship.

Taking place for the first time at the Taupō International Motorsport Park, crowds of up to 25,000 each day are expected to attend.  

Roger Brady, Waikato and Bay of Plenty Regional Manager, Maintenance & Operations at NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi notes “accommodation is booked out in town, so it is going to be a busy weekend on all roads leading into Taupō.

“In particular, people travelling on SH1 around central North Island should allow plenty of time getting to their destination.” More information. 

Changing pace, across the region, maintenance work continues with some significant sites starting next week; SH2 Hewletts Road in Tauranga, SH2 Pekatahi bridge in Eastern Bay of Plenty, SH27 in Matamata and SH2 Karangahake Gorge. 

The finishing flag is in sight for worksites in Kaimai, Lichfield and further afield at Uruti.

As always, check online before you travel, as maintenance work is continuing over the next 4 to 6 weeks, alongside longer-term worksites delivering a range of improvements to the state highway network.

As we enter the cooler months the programme of work across the state highway network shifts gears, with earthworks winding down. 

“The recent change of clocks, and seasons, is a great reminder to do a quick once over of your car before winter sets in,” says Mr Brady. 

“Check your brakes and tyres (including the spare), and your head and tail lights. It’s also a good idea to have an old hoodie or a waterproof jacket or similar in the boot.

“You’ll be pleased you did if you have to change a flat tyre in the pouring rain!” 

For up-to-date travel information please check the Journey Planner. 

Bay of Plenty

Tauranga 

Takitimu North Link Stage One: Earthworks are underway across a number of sites. On the new Wairoa Road bridge there will be nightworks on Wednesday 17 April to allow for asphalting and tie-in works. There will be stop/go place and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h. A temporary haul road, separated from SH2, into the Te Mete Valley is operational with a temporary speed limit of 60km/h alongside the haul road. More information. 

Cambridge/Moffat roads:  Construction work to complete the new Cambridge Road Overbridge, between Bethlehem and Tauriko is complete and traffic will be switched early next week. In the next phase of work, with the bridge in use, we will continue work to build the new Cambridge Road East intersection with traffic management and temporary speed limits in place. A section of Cambridge Road East from Moffat Road to St Andrews Roundabout will be closed while the new intersection joining onto Moffat Road is constructed, with a detours in place.  More information. 

SH2 Bay Link: From Sunday 14 April to Thursday 18 April, overnight closures (from approximately 7pm or later each night to 6am the following morning) will apply on Maunganui Road (in both directions between Concord Avenue and Bayfair roundabout), Matapihi Road, Owens Place, SH2 underneath SH2/SH29A Te Maunga interchange and around Bayfair roundabout. Closures and detours will vary night to night, depending on site requirements and progress. 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 Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui: From Wednesday 17 April road rebuilding and resurfacing will take place for a month on SH2 Hewletts Road. The work will be carried out at night between 8.30pm and 5.30am from Sunday to Thursday. There will be detours or lane closures in place for different phases of this work. More information. 

SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR) Shared Path: The shared path alongside SH2 is diverted until May 2024. An alternative option for path users is available via Kaituna Road and Te Tumu Road.

SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR): The Quayside Properties Ltd-led Rangiuru Business Park Interchange project continues. Temporary barriers are in place until approximately June 2024, with one lane available in either direction. A temporary speed limit of 70km/h applies through the site. More information. 

Western Bay of Plenty

SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa: Roundabout construction at Sharp Road is underway with significant activities including nighttime stop/go for asphalt works. There will also be daytime intermittent stop/go traffic management in place which may cause longer delays. Please follow the temporary signs and directions of the traffic management team. Starting in late April 3.8km of flexible median barrier in the Athenree Gorge (north of Katikati) is being installed, this is due to be complete by early May. There will be lane shifts in place with speed restrictions and intermittent stop/go traffic management in place which may cause some delays. Please follow the temporary signs and directions of the traffic management team and watch for layout changes.

SH2 Apata Curves: Road widening works are underway. Lane shifts are in place with speed restrictions. There will be intermittent stop/go traffic management in place which may cause longer delays. Please follow the temporary signs and directions of the traffic management team and watch for layout changes.

SH2 Ōmokoroa Road: Shoulder closures and speed reductions are in place near the SH2/Ōmokoroa Road intersection as early works take place ahead of the Ōmokoroa Roundabout project. More information. 

SH29 Kaimai Range: Resurfacing between Ngamuwahine Road and Kaimai School restarts on Sunday 14 April and continues through to Wednesday 24 April. The work will be carried out from Sunday to Thursday between 8pm and 5am each night. Lane diversions and stop/go with 30km/h temporary speed limits will be in place during these hours. Expect minor delays during daytime hours, as lane shifts and temporary speed limits remain in place for uneven surfaces. 

SH36 Pyes Pā: Tree felling is underway near 1226 Pyes Pā Road and will be completed next week. Work is taking place between 7am and 5pm each weekday, traffic will be held when a tree is being felled; this should be a delay of no more than 5 minutes. 

Rotorua

SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage Two: Work underway between Tumene Drive and Ōwhata Road includes surface milling, asphalting and stormwater connections in the westbound lane. Night works for road resurfacing will take place from 7pm to 5am on Sunday 14 and Monday 15 April. Temporary traffic management including stop/go and speed restrictions will be in place. Minor delays are expected. Noise and vibration are associated with these works. These dates are weather dependent and may alter. Please refer to the VMS boards on site for confirmed dates. Multiple active worksites may include stop/go, lane shifts and shoulder closures, temporary pedestrian crossings, footpath closures, and/or reduced speed limits. The bus stop outside 473 SH30 Te Ngae Road is currently closed while construction is underway on new bus stop foundations. The nearest operational bus stop is located 50 metres west on SH30 / Te Ngae Road (towards Basley Road). Access for local residents and businesses will be maintained at all times. More information.   

SH33 Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa: Pavement construction is underway and minor traffic delays are expected for this work about 6km north of Ōkere Falls. Other work includes widening of the road corridor, installing safety barriers and improving drainage. Temporary traffic management is in place including stop/go, lane shifts, shoulder closures and reduced speed limits. Traffic lights are in operation 24/7, we expect these to be in place until early May. Minor delays are expected. More information

Eastern Bay of Plenty

SH2 Waioeka Gorge: Work to repair 2 underslips in the Waioeka Gorge has started and will take 2 months to complete. Crews will be on site between 7am and 6pm each weekday. The worksites are at Oponae and near Goldsmiths Reserve (approximately 4 kms north of Oponae). 

SH2 Pekatahi bridge: The Pekatahi bridge will be closed for scheduled maintenance for 4 days from Monday 15 April. Friday 19 April is a contingency day if required.  Contractors will be repairing and replacing damaged decking planks. While the work is taking place between 8am and 5pm a detour for all vehicles will be available northbound via Tāneatua Road, Arawa Road, Hinemoa Street and on to SH30 towards Awakeri, southbound traffic will use the same route in reverse. More information

SH34 Kawerau – Tarawera River bridge walkway: Upgrades to the walkway over the Tarawera River in Kawerau begin on Thursday 18 April and will take 10 weeks to complete. The old walkway is being demolished and a new steel walkway will be built. During construction there will be stop/go in place between 6.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Saturday, when there is no work taking place on site traffic signals will be operational. Scaffolding will be in place under the bridge, so the waterway can be protected, and workers can be kept safe during construction. [http://more%20information./]More information.