With warmer weather approaching, all roads are leading towards a big summer of road renewal across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty region, says NZTA Waka Kotahi Waikato System Manager Andy Oakley.

NZTA is investing $2 billion into state highway road renewals and maintenance across the motu over the next three years, and a significant portion of this is heading for roads across the middle of the North Island. 

Undertaking this volume of work requires a variety of approaches, says Andy.

“On lower volume roads we tend to use standard stop/go traffic management given the delays will be minimal, however in urban areas and on key routes we will look at options such as closing roads.  

“Road closures create efficiencies for the team on site, reducing traffic management requirements and making it a safer environment for workers. We can often undertake routine maintenance work alongside the rebuilds, which helps us stretch our funding further. 

“We know road users get frustrated when they’re held up in queues, especially on hot summer days."

Andy says the best thing people can do is check the NZTA Journey Planner (journeys.nzta.govt.nz) before they leave for their destination.  

“Our Journey Planner will provide an overview of any roadworks or other activities affecting the state highway network – which you can plan to avoid or plan into your travel time. 

“We’ve got a big maintenance season ahead of us and there will be disruption across the network due to roadworks. While this may lead to increased travel times it will result in a better roading network for everyone to enjoy.” 

Bay of Plenty 

Tauranga 

·       Zespri AIMS Games: The Zespri AIMS Games which is Australasia’s largest junior sporting event, kicks off in Tauranga in less than three weeks, over 20,000 people will descend on the city.  The event gets underway from Saturday 7 September, with the opening ceremonies at Mercury Arena on Sunday 8 September at 3pm and 7pm. Athletes are encouraged to use free park and ride buses to get to the opening ceremonies. An influx of people to the region will also bring higher traffic volumes to popular venues and is likely to cause potential delays on the main arterial routes in, through and around the city. More information 

·       SH2 Te Puna: Road resurfacing will start on SH2 between the Te Puna roundabout and Clarke Road from Sunday 25 August and will take 5 nights to complete. Work will take place at night between 8pm and 5am each night, during the day there will be a temporary speed limit of 30km/h in place due to the uneven surface, delays are expected.  

·       SH2 Takitimu North Link Stage 1: Daytime shoulder closures and stop/go traffic management on Minden Road continue until early October while utility works are underway.  

·       SH2/Fifteenth Ave: Major works to build the connection from Fifteenth Ave to SH29/Takitimu Drive Toll Road will be underway from mid-September. Works involve the building of a 120m large retaining wall and earthworks, prior to the Fifteenth Ave bridge construction. One lane at SH2/Fifteenth Ave near Edgcumbe Road will be closed while this work takes place. This is likely to remain until mid-2026. Local people and those passing through this area should be prepared for disruption over the construction season, there will be delays and changes to the road layout as we complete this work. 

·       SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road (TDTR): A reduced speed limit of 70km/h is in place while Takitimu North Link Stage 1 crews are working behind the barriers. More information 

·       Cambridge/Moffat roads: 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. This work is on track to be completed late September. Detours and temporary speed limits are in place for the closed section of Cambridge Road East. More Information 

·       SH2 Bay Link: In the coming weeks, daytime lane closures during off-peak hours will be in place across the project site for landscaping, fencing and guardrail repairs. Works will be happening on the pedestrian crossings, including tactile paver installation at the Bayfair roundabout and the Owens Place/Matapihi intersection. These works will be completed with minor impact to road users however, pedestrians will be asked to follow detours. From Sunday 25 August through to Thursday 29 August, SH2 flyover northbound will be closed between SH2/SH29 Te Maunga interchange and the Bayfair roundabout from 8pm to 5am each night to complete pavement and survey works. From Sunday 25 August to Wednesday 29 August, Maunganui Road will be closed from Concord Ave through to the Bayfair roundabout to complete guardrail and barrier works. From Sunday 1 September through to Tuesday 3 September Truman Lane will be closed in both directions overnight from to complete surfacing works. On Wednesday 4 September, SH29A eastbound will be closed from SH29A Maungatapu roundabout through to SH29A Baypark roundabout from 8pm to 5am to complete surfacing works. On Thursday 5 September SH29A will be closed westbound from SH2/SH29A Te Maunga interchange through to SH29A Maungatapu roundabout from 8pm to 5am to complete surfacing works. All works are weather dependent.  More information and detour routes visit More Information 

·       SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road: A 2km section of SH2, just past the Kaituna River bridge continues to be reduced to a single lane in each direction to allow construction of the Pāpāmoa East interchange to progress. This closure will remain in place for the duration of construction, with a temporary 70km/h speed limit in place. More information. 

·       SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR): The Quayside Properties Ltd-led Rangiuru Business Park Interchange project continues. Temporary barriers are in place until early September 2024, with 1 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:  Between Sharp Road and Lund Road there is a shoulder and lane closure in place. More information 

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

·       SH2 Ōmokoroa Road: Shoulder and lane closures with speed restrictions are in place for roundabout construction. There will be intermittent stop/go traffic management in place which may cause longer delays on Ōmokoroa Road. Please follow the temporary signs and directions of the traffic management team and watch for layout changes. More information.  

·       SH29 Tauriko/Redwood Lane: SH29 Tauriko/Redwood Lane: As part of the SH29 Tauriko Enabling Works project construction continues on Redwood Lane and SH29 between south of Belk Road and Gargan Road with stop/go on Redwood Lane, and shoulder closures and mobile operations on SH29 in place. On Monday 26 August 2024, between 9am and 3pm, stop/go will be in place on SH29 between Redwood Lane and Gargan Road so power lines can be moved underground. A temporary speed limit of 30km/h will be in place and significant delays are expected.  On Monday 2 September and Tuesday 3 September stop/go and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h will be in place between 8pm and 5am each night to extend safety barriers on SH29 north of Redwood Lane. Moderate traffic delays are expected.   More information. 

·       SH2 Pongakawa: On Monday 26 September, road rehabilitation will start on SH2 near Pongakawa School Road. This work is expected to take 6 weeks to complete with contractors on site from 6am to 6pm Monday to Saturday with stop/go traffic management in place, delays are to be expected. 

·       SH2 Ōtamarākau: Road rehabilitation will start in early September on SH2 near Ōtamarākau Valley Road. This work is expected to take 6 weeks to complete with crews on site from 6am to 6pm Monday to Saturday with stop/go traffic management in place, delays are to be expected. 

Rotorua 

·       SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage Two: Work is underway on the culvert at the end of the Motion car park north of the Iles Road intersection. The temporary bridge has been removed allowing a box culvert to be installed, a rock wall to be constructed, a new footpath and a handrail. A lane is closed between the Iles Road intersection and Basley Road intersection, and the far north exit out of the Motion car park is closed. The footpath along the worksite is closed with detours in place. We expect this work to be completed at the beginning of September, weather permitting. A temporary speed limit of 50km/h remains in place between Tumene Drive and the Ōwhata roundabout until resurfacing is completed in the warmer summer months.  

·       SH30 Tikitere: The Tough Guy and Girl challenge will take place from Wednesday 28 to Saturday 31 of August on Lake Rotokawau Road, which is off SH30 near Hell’s Gate Geothermal Reserve. There will be increased traffic volumes between 8am and 9.30am while registration takes place and also each day between 7.30am and 10am for registration and 12.30pm and 2pm while challenge participants are leaving the event site.

·       SH38 Kaingaroa Forest: Tree felling will take place west of Murupara township from Monday 2 September until Friday 6 September 2024. Stop/stop traffic management will be in place, minor delays are to be expected. 

·       SH36 Mangorewa Gorge: Work is progressing well between Mangorewa Gorge and Hamurana. The closure is now complete, however the stop/go traffic lights still remain in place from 8am to 4pm each day from the Mangorewa track to just south of the worksite and also near the Hamurana intersection. This work is due to be completed by mid-September. More information 

Eastern Bay of Plenty 

·       SH35 Opape: Slip repair work continues near Opape Beach Road, and is expected to finish in late September. The work will take place between 6am and 6pm each day with a lane closure in place with stop/go traffic management. Motorists can expect delays of up to 10 minutes. 

·       SH2 Waioeka Gorge: Strengthening repairs will begin on the Manganuku Bridge on SH2 on Monday 26 August. The repairs which include steel works, pad repairs and water blasting will take approximately 3 months to complete. While the work is taking place there will be a temporary speed limit of 30km/h throughout the worksite. 

Tairāwhiti Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay 

·       SH5 Napier to Taupō: Recovery alliance Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) continues to progress safety improvements, as well as repair, recovery and maintenance activities at multiple sites on SH5 between Eskdale and Waipunga. Overall, please expect cumulative delays of up to 20 minutes if travelling the whole of SH5 (Napier to Taupō). More information.  

Waikato 

• SH1 Tīrau to Putāruru:  SH1 will be closed in both directions from south of Tīrau to north of Putāruru from Monday 9 September until Sunday 6 October. The detour will be via SH28 and SH5; an additional 4.6km, adding approximately 5 minutes to journey time. There may be some speed limits in place over bridges for HPMV.  

There will be more closures along SH1 across the next 16 months as part of our accelerated project between Tīrau and Waiouru. Any work required in any of the townships including Tīrau will be done at night. We'll announce the timing of future closures on SH1 as soon as possible – we're finalising these dates now. At this point all work before Christmas 2024 will be north of Taupō. You can keep up to date by signing up to our email newsletter. Visit our website to sign up, and to get up-to-date information about closures and detours: More information 

East Waikato 

·       SH25: Slip repairs at Tramway Gully between Hikuai and Opoutere are underway, with stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place 24/7 to ensure safety for both the crew on site and people driving through. This work is expected to be finished in September. Slip repairs are also expected to be underway between Kūaotunu and Wharekaho from early September.  A temporary speed limit and stop/go traffic management will be in place during working hours, with a shoulder closure outside working hours. More information  

·       SH25 Tairua Road:  Slip repairs are underway, with stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place 24/7 - this is to ensure safety for both the crew on site and people driving through.  This work is expected to be finished in September. More information. 

Central Waikato 

·       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. Works to repair the washout has begun and will be completed in mid-September. 

·       SH1 Ātiamuri: Road widening work is complete, and all speed restrictions removed ahead of pavement works and safety barrier installation in spring. This covers a 6km stretch of road from the Waikato River bridge south to Thorpe Road.  

West Waikato 

·       SH1C Waikato Expressway - Te Rapa Bypass: Final resurfacing of SH1C Te Rapa, from the Te Wetini Drive/Wairere Drive overbridge near Wintec through to the Horotiu Interchange, is almost complete, with work on the dual laned section of the Expressway now finished. The final stage of this project is to complete resurfacing in the southbound single-laned section of SH1C, which will require a closure of the southbound lane and detours for up to 5 days. Northbound traffic will not be affected. This work is scheduled to begin on the evening of Sunday 8 September. More information 

·       SH1 Waikato Expressway - Ngāruawāhia section: Safety improvements and remedial works continue with traffic managed through the site. There are overnight closures and detours ahead: Northbound closures: 2 nights, Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 August, 7pm-5am. Southbound closures: 5 nights, Sunday 1 September to Thursday 5 September, 7pm-5am. SH1C northbound traffic will be detoured while remedial work is underway where SH1C and SH1 merge. All SH1C traffic from Te Rapa/Horotiu will turn at the Northern Interchange and go south on SH1 to turn around at Resolution Interchange and proceed north on SH1. This detour runs from Friday 6 September for about 2 months. The detour will add about 8 minutes to journeys. Within the current work site there is a temporary speed limit of 80km/h for 2 lane sections, and speeds are further reduced to 70km/h and 50km/h for one lane sections. More information. 

·       SH1 Waikato Expressway – Rangiriri section: Line-marking is under way between Rangiriri and Te Kawhauta with daytime lane and ramp closures and a temporary speed restriction of 70km/h between 9am 3pm each weekday.  Completion will depend on weather and temperatures. Access on and off the highway will be maintained at all times but watch for updates on fixed and mobile VMS boards in the area. From about Wednesday 28 August work will move to the on and off ramps which will be closed one at a time, work will take place from 9am to 3pm. 

·       SH1 Cambridge: Road resurfacing will start on SH1 between the end of the Waikato Expressway, Cambridge section and Hickey Road from Sunday 25 August and take 5 nights to complete. The first and last nights of the work include de-tension and re-tension of the wire rope barriers, this will require stop/stop traffic management with delays of up to 10 minutes. The resurfacing work will take place Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights between 8pm and 5am each night, there will be stop/go traffic management in place while work is underway.   

·       SH1/SH29 Piarere intersection: Construction is underway on the southern side of the roundabout, with the Tīrau approach road being built. To safely accommodate this work, traffic south of the roundabout has been moved onto a recently constructed section of road adjacent to SH1. This is a short bypass road which rejoins SH1 before the intersection and continues to operate as normal. This arrangement is expected to remain in place until late September 2024, when construction will start on the next approach road and another temporary layout change will be put in place. More information will be provided ahead of each change in layout. Motorists are reminded to drive with care through the site. A temporary speed limit of 60km/h is in place around the project site to protect road workers and ensure the safety of everyone travelling through the area. More information

·       SH1/Hydro Road, Karāpiro: Safety improvements on SH1, near Cambridge, are almost complete, bringing some changes for road users. As part of the finishing works, the right-turn out of Hydro Road onto SH1 will be permanently closed. Contractors will be on site until early September. During this work road users should expect periods of stop/go traffic management on Hydro Road and temporary traffic management with a reduced speed limit on SH1. Contractors will be on site from 7am – 5pm, Monday to Friday, with the possibility of work from 7am – 2pm on Saturdays if needed. Following the right-turn closure, road users wanting to travel south will make use of the new turnaround bay north of Hickey Road to safely change direction. All work in the area is expected to be completed by mid-September. 

North Waikato 

·       SH1 Nikau Road to Pōkeno interchange: There will be a full southbound lane closure on Wednesday 28 August between 9pm and 5am for general maintenance. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes. 

·       SH1 Pōkeno interchange to Nikau Road: There will be a full northbound closure on Sunday 25 August between 9pm and 5am for general maintenance. Traffic will still be able to travel north using one of the southbound lanes.  

·       SH1 Pōkeno interchange to Mercer interchange: There will be a full southbound closure on Tuesday 27 August between 9pm and 5am for general maintenance. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes. 

·       SH1 Mercer interchange to Pōkeno interchange: There will be a full northbound closure on Monday 26 August between 10pm and 5am for general maintenance. Traffic will still be able to travel north using one of the southbound lanes.  

Taranaki 

·       SH3 Waitara Road, Bell Block: Until further notice there are various temporary speed restrictions and temporary traffic management in place on SH3 at the intersection with Waitara Road.  There is also no right turn into Raleigh Street. This will allow workers to complete necessary work on the road in preparation for it connecting with the roundabout. All properties on SH3, Raleigh Street and Tate Road will be accessible for residents during these works. More information 

·       SH4 Paroparowhero Culvert Replacement: The site has been reinstated to two lanes under a temporary speed limit of 30km/h. The site will be held by a temporary seal over the winter months, until it can be fully rebuilt during the summer construction season.  

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 NZTA Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz). 
 
NZTA thanks motorists for their patience while we complete this essential work to keep the state highway network safe, accessible and resilient. 

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey.

Keep up to date with:

• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nztawbop
• X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/nztawbop
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)