Waikato roadworks: Delays expected at Rangiriri, Waikato Expressway

Traffic reduces to one lane at Rangiriri, on the Waikato Expressway. Photo / Dan Hutchinson

Auckland to Hamilton commuters are being warned to avoid part of the the Waikato Expressway this weekend with lengthy delays expected again at Rangiriri.

Alternative routes would add 30 minutes to the journey.

Traffic was delayed at the site last weekend, with some motorists taking up to four hours to travel between the two cities. It prompted Transport Minister Simeon Brown to take to X on Sunday night, to complain about the “significant disruption”.

NZTA Waka Kotahi said similar traffic management would be in place this weekend with the 4.8km Rangiriri section of the Waikato Expressway down to single lanes in each direction, with a reduced speed limit due to surfacing work.

The work was expected to be completed by Easter, but that was weather-dependent.

NZTA regional manager for infrastructure delivery Jo Wilton said Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon would be the peak times again and people may want to consider using SH2 and SH27 to avoid the Rangiriri works.

“We don’t expect traffic volumes to be as high as last weekend – when there were multiple events on in Auckland – but using the alternative route will provide a more reliable journey time.”

The Rangiriri section has been under a 70km/h speed restriction since repairs finished before Christmas, with a settling period required before final chip-seal surfacing.

Contractors began chip-sealing the northbound lanes on March 6. The final surfacing of the southbound lanes would take up to three days, from Sunday, March 17.

While that work was underway, southbound off and on-ramps to the interchanges would be closed and local traffic going in and out of Rangiriri and Te Kauwhata interchanges would need to use alternative routes.

Wilton said sealing work was being done from south to north so the Rangiriri on-ramp could open as soon as possible.

Traffic would then continue to be confined to a single lane in each direction until the new seal was bedded in and sweeping completed.

Wilton said the contractor and traffic management staff would monitor the situation and open more lanes as soon as possible.

“If the weather plays ball, Easter holiday traffic will be travelling through here on all four lanes ensuring more reliable journey times and everyone’s valuable time is spent enjoying the break.”

On Monday this week, Wilton apologised for last weekend’s “excessive delays” and promised to review what contributed to the delays and what could be improved to ensure it didn’t happen again.

Alternative routes

Auckland to Hamilton and vice versa: SH2/SH27/SH26 – adds about 30 minutes to the journey time. A good option on Friday and Sunday afternoons/evenings.

Auckland to Tauranga: Take SH2 or SH27 – no change in journey time.

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