It’s only one month until Christmas and NZTA Waka Kotahi said the summer renewals programme is steaming ahead with bells on.

"This is positive news for road users, with a number of road rebuilds finishing earlier than expected, and good progress has been made on the chipseal and asphalt programmes in what is a huge summer programme overall," said NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Bay of Plenty System Manager Sandra King.

Kind said work continues until Friday December 20 when the sites will close for the Christmas/New Year break.

"We have put a real emphasis on planning our work, with the aim to reduce overall disruption by collaborating across the regions. This will help road users reach their destination on time," King said.

“It’s crucial to plan ahead and understand what worksites you will encounter on your journey. This work is important as it ensures the state highway network continues to be safe and accessible, particularly during winter when we are unable to do this type of work.”  

Matamata road rebuild  - workers in action. Photo: NZTA Waka Kotahi.

King said the NZTA Journey Planner is the best tool to use on the day of travel, as this provides real-time updates on worksites and other road hazards on the network.

This work forms part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund. 

Bay of Plenty 

Tauranga 

·       SH2 Tauranga: Overnight resurfacing work has started on the SH2 northbound lane on Takitimu Drive in Tauranga.  This work will take 2 weeks to complete, between 8pm and 6am from Sunday 17 to Monday 29 November and is weather dependent. During these works, traffic will be reduced to a single lane.  

·       SH2 Takitimu North Link Stage 1: Shoulder closures and stop/go traffic management on Minden Road continue until Friday 20 December while utility works and construction of the 2 roundabouts are underway.  Please take direction from staff on the ground and slow down through the work site. 

·       SH2 Takitimu Drive (near Fifteenth Ave): A road rebuild will start in the city bound lane on Monday 25 November taking up to 4 nights to complete. As the lanes are narrow in this location and along with concrete barriers, the road will be closed from the SH2 Takitimu Drive off-ramp, with a detour in place via Fifteenth Ave and Cameron Road. This work will take place at night between 7pm and 6am. 

·       SH2/Fifteenth Ave: Major works to build the connection from Fifteenth Ave to SH29/Takitimu Drive Toll Road are underway. Works involve the building of a 120m long retaining wall and earthworks, prior to the Fifteenth Ave bridge construction. One lane at SH2/Fifteenth Ave near Edgecumbe Road will be closed while this work takes place. This is likely to remain in place until mid-2026. Local residents 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: A reduced speed limit of 70km/h is in place while Takitimu North Link Stage 1 crews are working behind the barriers. More information 

·       SH29 Tauriko West between Redwood Lane and Cambridge Road: Project construction is ongoing at multiple sites on SH29, with shoulder closures, reduced speed limits and mobile operations in place. From Friday 22 November a shoulder closure and lane deviation will be in place on Cambridge Road for the installation of sheet piles. A temporary 60km/h speed limit will be in place on Cambridge Road and SH29 on all approaches to the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection for the duration of these works. More information  

·       SH29 Kaimai Range: A programme of night works continues with with final surfacing of the road rebuild near Hanga Lane, with a finish date in early December. The nightworks are between 7pm and 6am Monday to Thursday to minimise impact to traffic. When work is underway there will be stop/go traffic management in place. Over the coming 6-8 months there will be several significant worksites to complete. More information 

·       SH29A Maungatapu Bridge: From Monday 2 December for up to 10 nights contractors will be undertaking investigations at the Maungatapu Bridge abutments. This work will take place between 7pm and 6am Sunday to Thursday nights. There will be stop/go traffic management in place. Some of the equipment used may create loud noises, measures will be in place to monitor this. 

·       SH2 Bay Link: SH2 Bayfair flyover will be closed overnight on Tuesday 26 November and Thursday 28 November, between approximately 8pm and 5am each night. A signposted detour via Maunganui Road and SH2/SH29A Te Maunga Interchange will apply. For more information, visit nzta.govt.nz/baylink-traffic 

·       SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR): The Tauranga City Council led project continues. 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 TELTR: The Quayside Properties Ltd led Rangiuru Business Park Interchange project continues.  More information 

Western Bay of Plenty 

·       SH2 Old Tauranga Road to Mathers Road: A road rebuild is underway on SH2 near Old Tauranga Road, from 6am to 6pm Monday to Saturday each week and a finish date of around Wednesday 4 December, weather dependent. There will be lane diversions and stop/go traffic management in place with a 30km/h temporary speed limit 24 hours a day. Motorists are advised to expect delays. 

·       SH2 Ōmokoroa Road: Road widening and service relocation works are underway in preparation for the new roundabout. 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. Expect minor delays especially during peak times. More information 

·       SH2 Apata Station Road: Road widening works are underway in preparation for the new roundabout. Lane shifts are in place along with speed restrictions. There will be stop/go traffic management in place from 9am to 4pm Monday 25 to Wednesday 27 November which may cause longer delays. Follow the temporary signs and directions of the traffic management team and watch for layout changes. Expect minor delays. 

·       SH33 Paengaroa: Resurfacing work on SH33 between Allport Road and Maungarangi Road is underway and expected to be completed early December. Hours of work are between 6am and 6pm each day. While the work is taking place there will be lane diversions and stop/go traffic management in place with a temporary speed limit of 30km/h. Outside of these hours there will be a temporary speed limit in place while the new chipseal is trafficked. 

Rotorua 

·       SH36 Hamurana Road, north of Ngongotahā: A road rebuild is underway on SH36 between Central Road and Gloucester Road between 8am and 5pm, due to be completed in early December. While the work is underway a lane closure will be in place between Central Road and Gloucester Road each weekday. Temporary traffic management will remain in place until the road has been line marked. 

·       SH30 Rotomā: Resurfacing repairs through Rotomā Glade on SH30 will begin on Tuesday 26 November (now lake water levels have dropped) and continue to mid-December during the day. Traffic management will be set up early, with pre-surfacing work starting once the road is at the right temperature. When these repairs have cured (7 to 10 days), full resurfacing of Rotomā Glade will take place.  
During this time there will be stop/go in place with temporary speed limits.  Motorists are urged to follow the temporary speed limits at all times to help bed in the repairs. 

Eastern Bay of Plenty 

·       SH38 Rangitāiki Bridge: Work is underway on bridge repairs near Murupara and is expected to be completed in early December. At times during the work there will be short periods of stop/stop traffic management in place and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h.  

·       SH35 Ōpape: Underslip repairs have started and expected to be completed in mid-December. The work will take place between 7am and 5pm Monday to Saturday. There will be stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h in place while work is underway. A temporary speed limit of 50km/h in place while the site is unattended. 

·       SH35 Te Kaha: A road rebuild is underway near the Tūtaki Marae and Te Kaha Hotel, between Copenhagen Road and Copenhagen Loop Road in Te Kaha between 7am and 5pm Monday to Friday. The work is expected to be completed in early December. While rebuild work is underway there will be stop/go, and at times stop/stop, traffic management in place and a temporary speed limit.  

·       SH35 Waikawa Bay: Repairs have started on the culvert at Waikawa Bay on SH35, work is expected to be completed by the end of November. Stop/go traffic management is in place with a temporary speed limit while the works are taking place. 

Waikato 

·       SH1 Ātiamuri to Wairakei: Work and traffic management will continue on this stretch of SH1, with sealing, stabilisation works and installation of the median safety barrier underway. Stop/go is in place until early December, so please allow extra time.    

SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru 

Overall programme:  

Check out upcoming closure dates nzta.govt.nz/projects/T2W    

Keep up to date - sign up to the e-newsletter 

·       Tokoroa to upper Ātiamuri:  

From midday Friday 22 November, the section of SH1 from Kinleith and Upper Ātiamuri will be reopened. The section between Tokoroa and Kinleith will remain closed until approx. Wednesday 27 November 2024 (weather dependent).  Light vehicle detour via SH32, Old Taupō Road, Kinleith Road to SH1. Heavy vehicles are detoured via SH5 and SH30. More information here. 

·       Putāruru to Tokoroa:  SH1 between SH1/Princes Street Putāruru and the SH1/SH32 Tokoroa intersection will be closed from 5am Saturday 23 November until on Friday 20 December.

Detour: 

o   For light vehicles: all north and south bound SH1 vehicles will be detoured – starting in Princes Street, Arapuni Street, Arapuni Road, Waotu Road, Old Taupō Road, SH32 - Tokoroa and vice versa. This will add approx. 15 mins and 11km to journey times. 

o   HPMV Detour: heavy vehicles travelling beyond Tokoroa must use SH5 and SH30.   

o   Local HPMV Detour: Arapuni Street - Arapuni Road - Old Taupō Road - SH32. Please note HPMVs aren’t able to use Waotu Road.  

o   There is temporary speed limit along the detour route of 70km/h and temporary speed limit of 30km/h over some of the structures for the local heavy detour route. This is to help improve the longevity of those structures which weren’t design cope with the additional volume and weight (i.e. it’s not a safety issue – rather to protect the asset in the long term).

There will be a soft closure in Putāruru, between SH1/Princes Street intersection and Vospers Road, Lichfield. There is also a soft closure at the southern end, up to Rollett Road.  These soft closures still allow access but are in place in order to send those on longer journeys down appropriate detours. The "hard closure" (the worksite) is approximately 13km long, from Vospers Road to Rollett Road. Within the hard closure, there are strict requirements before anyone can go into that area as there will be a multitude of machines and people working on the road at all times of the day and night. Pilot vehicles will be used and there may be delays going through the work site. 

·       South of Tīrau to north of Putāruru: This section of SH1 will be closed at nights from Sunday 24 November until Thursday 5 December, working Sunday to Thursday nights only. The road will be closed from 7pm – 6am during this time. This closure is to lay the final asphalt surface to complete the 5.75km of road rebuilt. Detours will be via SH28 and SH5, adding approximately 8 minutes to journey times. 

·       East Taupō Arterial: From Monday 11 November to Friday 6 December, SH1 is closed between the Wairakei Roundabout and the Broadlands Interchange. The detour route for all vehicles is: southbound traffic on SH1 will turn left onto SH5, right onto Ohaaki Road, right onto Broadlands Road, and left back onto SH1. Northbound traffic will follow the same detour in reverse. Taupō will be very busy during November and December and there will be pressure on the highways and local roads in the area due to the various events as well as the road works. Motorists, especially heavy vehicles, are encouraged to use the official detour and not travel through Taupō if that is not your destination. Those travelling to north or south destinations either side of Taupō may prefer to use other state highway routes such as SH3, SH4, SH32 and SH49. 

·       Tūrangi to Waiouru: This section of SH1 including Desert Road is scheduled to be closed from early January to late February 2025. Travelling from Hamilton to Waiouru or further south: An alternative route for those travelling longer distances, such as Hamilton to Waiouru is to take SH49, SH4 and SH3 (or vice versa). SH4 is now suitable for HPMV for the duration of the SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru renewal project. 

East Waikato 

·       SH2 Karangahake Gorge: Work to remove unstable slip material and vegetation above SH2 in the Karangahake Gorge at Crown Hill Road will begin in early December with work wrapping up before Christmas. The road will be reduced to a single lane with stop/go traffic management in place, Monday to Friday, while the work is done. 

·       SH2 Karangahake Gorge: Traffic will be reduced to a single lane, with stop/go traffic management on Tuesday 26 November in the Karangahake Gorge to allow for a CCTV survey of a culvert outlet pipe. A 3-way stop/go at the intersection of SH2 and Crown Hill Road will be in place from 9am until mid afternoon. This work is weather dependent and will be rescheduled to Wednesday 27 November if necessary.   

·       SH25 Te Rerenga (Whangapoua):  Road rebuilding works are underway between Quarry Road and Te Rerenga School. This work is weather dependent and an expected completion date of Thursday 5 December. The road will be reduced to a single lane with stop/go traffic management in place between 7am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. Temporary speed restrictions will be in place outside of these hours.   

·       SH25 Tairua: Repairs to a large underslip at Pumpkin Hill near Sailors Grave Road, just north of Tairua, are underway. Work at this site will take about 6 months to complete. There are temporary speed restrictions and a shoulder closure through the worksite. Stop/stop traffic management will be required at times. More information   

·       SH27 Matamata: The first stage of the road rebuild on the north side of the roundabout is now complete, work now shifts to the southern side of the roundabout from Thursday 21 November until Friday 6 December. There will be closures each night from 8pm to 5am, no work will take place on Friday or Saturday nights. During the day there will be temporary speed limits in place. More information 

Central Waikato 

·       SH41 Hipaua: Works to repair an underslip began on Monday 11 November. The road is currently down to 1 lane under stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit. Contractors may also undertake weekend works on Saturday 23 November. Works to repair the slip are expected to be completed by the end of 2024.  

·       SH41 Tokaanu: Works to repair a slip created due to a washout, have been completed. The road has been opened to two lanes with shoulder closure TTM while finishing works are completed. This is expected to be completed by end of 2024. 

West Waikato 

·       SH1 Waikato Expressway - Ngāruawāhia section: Two full closures are ahead to ensure safety improvements and remedial works are expected completed by Christmas. The first starts this Sunday, from 7pm 24 November to 12 noon Friday 29 November and again 7pm Sunday 1 December to noon on Friday 6 December. The closure schedule is listed at  nzta.govt.nz/projects/waikato-expressway/expressway-surface-works/  
Meanwhile, outside the closures, there are 2 other detours in place until completion next month. The southbound on-ramp at the Gordonton Road interchange is closed until mid-December. While the ramp is closed people need to use the detour route to go south. And northbound SH1C traffic is required to exit at Lake Road, head south on SH1 to turn around at Resolution interchange and proceed north. More detail is in the latest project update. 

·       SH31 near Raglan Road: Road resurfacing is underway west of Raglan Road and will be completed early December. There will be stop/go traffic management in place while the work is underway. 

·       SH1/SH29 Piarere intersection: Traffic is now using the new roundabout at the intersection of SH1 and SH29 in Piarere. It’s currently operating with temporary approach roads while we construct the permanent approaches. Recent poor weather has caused surface deterioration on the temporary approaches, which we continue to monitor and repair as required. We expect to open the SH1 permanent approach from Tīrau in mid-December, followed closely by the SH29 approach and then the SH1 Cambridge approach. Please adhere to the signage and take extra care when travelling through the area as it’s still a work zone. View a map here.   

·       SH30 Bennydale: Road rebuilding is underway on Ellis Road in Bennydale near Ohirea Road and is expected to be finished in early December. A second site near Kiwi Place will start in January 2025. Enabling works will be done first between 7am and 7pm each day with stop/go traffic management in place. Once the site has been prepared the road rebuild will start, with stop/stop traffic management in place and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h. Delays of up to 20 minutes can be expected. 

·       SH39 Kakaramea Road: SH39 Kakaramea Road will be closed overnight, near the Mangataoma Bridge, between 6.30pm Sunday 24 November to 6.30am Monday 25 November for road maintenance. Access remains for residents. Local road detours will be signposted. HPMV vehicles will be held and released every hour. 

North Waikato 

·       SH1 Pōkeno to SH2 Link: There will be a full northbound closure on Wednesday 27 November between 10pm and 5am for road maintenance. The recommended detour is via Great South Road and Helenslee Road. There will also be southbound lane restrictions between Nikau Road and SH2 Link. Traffic will still be able to travel south. 

·       SH2 between Mangatawhiri Road and Kopuku Road: Stop/go traffic management will be in place from Sunday 24 to Friday 29 November as resurfacing takes place between 9pm and 5am each night. There will be a reduced speed limited as new laid chipseal beds in the following day. 

·       SH2 between Steen Road and SH25 roundabout: Stop/go traffic management will be in place from Sunday 24 to Friday 29 November as resurfacing takes place between 9pm and 5am each night. There will be a reduced speed limited as new laid chipseal beds in the following day. 

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. More information 

Taranaki 

·       SH3 Waitara Road, Bell Block: A small section of Waitara Road is closed until late November to progress safety improvement work on SH3 in Taranaki, this work includes stormwater improvements, the relocation of underground services, and pavement works. During the closure a detour will be in place along Richmond Road, the detour will add an extra 5 minutes to journeys. SH3 through the intersection will remain open to traffic with a 50km/h temporary speed limit in place. More information 

·       SH4 North of Taumaranui: Road rebuilding started Monday 11 November at the Paroparowhero Stream, north of Taumaranui, taking 5 weeks to complete. The road has been held with a temporary seal over the winter months, but now we’re heading into the warmer summer months, crews are returning to site to complete a permanent rebuild of the road. During this time there will be traffic light stop/go in place 24/7 with a temporary speed limit of 30km/h. Expect delays of up to 15 minutes. 

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)