“State Highway 25A has been open since late December, and further around the peninsula we have several worksites along SH25 where the road is reduced to a single lane with stop/go traffic management in place. Beach Hop cruisers and other visitors should also expect narrower lanes and speed restrictions at sites across the peninsula.
“Please slow down, be patient and allow additional time for your journeys.”
South of the Coromandel, there would be overnight asphalt resurfacing on State Highway 2 through Paeroa, from March 19, and that would take a week to complete. A section of the road would be closed from 8pm until 6am each night, with a detour in place.
“It is important to adhere to the relevant temporary speed limits during this type of work to avoid damage to your vehicle and ensure your safety and that of other road users and our road workers.
“We are pausing all chip seal work on the cruise route prior to Beach Hop week, to minimise disruption and risk of damage to vehicles, however there will be minor patches of loose chip following recent road repairs.
“We wish Coromandel businesses, locals and visitors a very enjoyable Beach Hop and thank you all for your patience while we continue to improve the state highway network.”
Work programme
East Waikato
· SH25 Beach Hop: Beach Hop takes place from March 20-24. Higher than usual traffic volumes can be expected on SH25 and SH25A, especially in and around Whangamatā.
· SH25 Coromandel: Ongoing recovery works to repair damage caused by last summer’s severe weather. The sites include Kereta, Te Kouma, Kuaotunu and Wharekaho. Stop-go traffic management will be in place at these locations. Work is also underway between Whangamatā and Waihī to repair and upgrade side drains.
· SH25A Taparahi Bridge: Temporary speed limits are still in place. Work to finish the restoration of SH25A at the Taparahi worksite is expected to be completed by the end of March.
· SH25 Ruamahunga: Slip stabilisation continues. Equipment and supplies are being delivered to the top of the slope by helicopter on a regular basis. The next closure will be March 19 and will take place between 12 noon and 2pm. SH25 will be closed in both directions at the site for up to 20 minutes at a time so the helicopter can safely operate over the road to deliver those important supplies. The road will then reopen to allow traffic to clear before the next closure.
· SH2 Paeroa: Resurfacing will start on Belmont Road in Paeroa from March 19 and take a week to complete, from 8pm to 6am each night. The road will be open during the day with a temporary speed limit. A detour is available for all vehicles via SH26 Arney Street and Station Road.
· SH27 Waharoa: Safety upgrade work continues on SH27 between Walker Street and McGowan Street and is expected to be finished in early April. SH27 is open to traffic, under lane diversions and stop-go traffic management when needed. Car parks on SH27 will be inaccessible during this period, however the rest area and car park across the road from the Pitt Street intersection will remain open and a safe crossing will be provided at all times. Minor delays are to be expected.
· SH27 Mangatarata: Stop-go traffic management will be in place until late March, while a southbound side barrier, new signs, and line marking (including rumble strips) are installed. At times, there will be nightworks between 7pm and 6am, and a reduced speed limit. Minor delays are expected.
· SH24 Matamata to SH29: Until mid-April stop-go traffic management will be in place at times while road widening work is completed, followed by signage and rumble strip installation. Minor delays are expected.
Central Waikato
· SH1 Lichfield: Road rehabilitation continues until March 22 from 6am to 6pm. There will be stop-go in place from 6am-6pm Monday to Saturday along with a temporary speed limit. A detour for light vehicles in both directions will be available via Rollett Road, Paroanui Road, Wiltsdown Road and then rejoining SH1 and reverse. Heavy vehicles will travel through the worksite under stop/go.
· SH1 Ātiamuri: Stop/go will be in place 24/7 south of Ohakuri Road for three weeks, where road widening is underway for safety barrier installation, from the Waikato River Bridge south to Thorpe Road. Work is behind temporary safety barriers and there is a 50km/h speed restriction.
· SH1 Maroa Road: There is 24/7 stop/go in place for two weeks from Monday March 18 for resealing and joint repairs. This is part of the finishing works on the 4.8km site where safety barriers were installed last year.
· SH1 East Taupō Arterial: Road widening and flexible safety barrier installation continues between Napier Road and the airport roundabout. Speed restrictions will be in place, with completion expected to be mid-2024.
· 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 are due to begin early April and will take 3-4 weeks to complete.
· SH4 Taumaranui: Work still start on stage one of road rehabilitation on Hakiaha Street in Taumaranui from March 19-21 between 7pm and 5am. There will be a road closure at the SH4 overbridge between Taupo and Bell Roads. Southbound light vehicles will be detoured via Taupo Road, and northbound traffic will be detoured via Bell Road and Short Street. There is no alternative route for heavy vehicles, these vehicles will be convoyed through at two-hourly intervals. (9pm, 11pm, 1am and 3am) each night. Stage two will start mid-April.
West Waikato
· SH1 Waikato Expressway - Ngāruawāhia section: Safety improvements and remedial works continue with traffic managed through the site with single lanes and 50km/h speed restriction. The next block of night-time closures and detours is for northbound traffic Sundays to Thursdays, 7pm-5am, March 17 - April 11.
· SH1 Waikato Expressway – Rangiriri Section: Final surfacing is underway until Easter. SH1 traffic is on single lanes during the work. Congestion is expected this weekend and those travelling between Auckland and Waikato may want to consider using SH2 and SH27. During the two or three days of southbound lane sealing on March 17-19 the southbound on and off-ramps will be closed. Detours will be in place using the state highway, however light traffic may choose to exit at Hampton Downs and use local roads south.
· SH1C/SH3 Hamilton: Road resurfacing will take place at the Kahikatea Drive/Ohaupo Road/Lorne Street and Normandy Avenue intersections, overnight from Sunday 24 March to Thursday 4 April from 7pm to 6am each night, however no work will take place during the easter break from 12 noon, March 28 through to midnight on April 1. During this work the road will be closed to through traffic for a period of time, the detour is via SH1C Lorne Street and SH3 Normandy Avenue. At all other times stop-go traffic management will be in place at the intersection of SH1C Lorne Street/Kahikatea Drive and SH3 Ohaupo Road.
· SH3 Rukuhia: Resurfacing will take place near Rukuhia Road on March 19-21, from 7pm to 6am each night. Access to and from Rukuhia Road, via SH3 Ohaupo will be closed to through traffic, detours will be via the local roads. Stop/go traffic management will be in place on Ohaupo Road.
· SH3 Ohaupo: Due to construction of a signalised pedestrian crossing on SH3 Ohaupo, a temporary speed limit will be in place until the end of March. Minor delays should be expected.
· SH1/SH29 Piarere Intersection: Work is progressing with mass filling on the north and south sides of the intersection to accommodate the foundation works. Traffic delays are expected during construction in this area and an increase of vehicle movements including truck and trailers carrying material to site. Temporary traffic management is in place, including shoulder closures and lane shifts, please follow the instructions of the team on site and any temporary traffic signage.
· SH1 Karāpiro: Work is underway on a section of SH1 between Keeley’s Reserve and Moana Roa Road in preparation for median barrier being installed mid-2024. The main construction work involves 1.5km of shoulder widening, temporary barrier installation, earthworks and pavement construction, followed by surfacing, lighting and permanent barrier installation. During the majority of the construction the slow (left-hand) lane of the southbound passing lane between Keeley’s Reserve and Moana Roa Road will be closed, and the worksite will be under a temporary speed limit of 50km/h. Access in and out of Kentucky Road will remain open. Construction is expected to be finished by late June.
· SH1 Karāpiro (Tunakawa Road): The Gorton Road turnaround is now in place and the right turn onto Gorton Road has been reinstated. The focus has shifted to the Tunakawa Road turnaround. During construction there is no right turn onto SH1 from Tunakawa Road. Motorists need to make use of the Keeley’s Reserve turnaround to change direction, which adds around 4-6 minutes to your journey. Once the turnaround construction is complete, the installation of median barrier from Tunakawa Road to Fergusson Gully Road can commence. This is expected to occur towards the end of March, with all work completed by mid-April 2024.
· SH1 Karāpiro (Hickey Road): Construction of the fifth turnaround bay in the SH1 Cambridge to Piarere safety improvements project, just north of Hickey Road, is underway. Along with constructing the turnaround bay, there will be road widening at the weigh station on SH1, between Hickey and Hydro Roads, and installing median and side safety barriers. Construction hours are 7am – 6pm Monday to Saturday, with no work on Sunday or public holidays, and temporary traffic management will be in place during construction. The impact on SH1 traffic is expected to be minor, although there are multiple worksites between Cambridge and Piarere, so some delays to journeys are expected.
· SH30 Kōpaki: The underpass repairs are due to start Monday March 18 and are expected to take 4 weeks to complete. There will be stop/go traffic management in place 24/7, however between 7am and 5pm there will be periods of stop/stop while machinery is moved around the site. Delays of up to 30 minutes should be expected.
· SH30 Te Kūiti: Due to a slip, priority give-way is in place near Mangaokewa Road, motorists are advised to proceed with caution.
· SH30 Kōpaki: Work will start on Monday March 18 on an underpass near Kōpaki, the works are expected to be completed by the end of March. Stop/go traffic management will be in place 7am to 5pm, outside of these hours the road will be open in both directions with a shoulder closure in place.
· SH3 Te Kūiti: Drivers on SH3 are advised to expect delays, with work taking place to build a retaining wall and culvert on a stretch of highway between Te Kūiti and the SH3/SH4 junction. For the first few days of construction traffic will be down to one lane with stop/go traffic control while the highway is temporarily widened on the southbound shoulder. Drivers should expect short delays at this site. Once this is done the road will be reopened to 2 lanes under speed restrictions for up to 3 months while the retaining wall and culvert are being built, with a few days of stop/go expected at the end of the project.
· SH3 Kihikihi: Maintenance will be carried out on SH3 Lyon Street on March 24 between 6pm to 5am. A small section of road will be closed between Ballance and Whitmore Streets. A short detour is available via Ballance, Church and Whitmore Streets.
· SH3 Otorohanga: Resurfacing will be taking place near Kio Kio Station Road, Otorohanga from March 17 for two nights between 8pm and 5am. The road will be closed at night between 8pm and 5am. A detour will be available for light vehicles southbound via Kio Kio Station Road and Puketarata Road then rejoin SH3, northbound via Kakamutu, Ouruwhero and Kio Kio Station Roads. HPMV’s and over dimension vehicles will be stacked and released at regular intervals.
North Waikato
· Nikau Road to Bombay interchange: There will be a full northbound closure from March 17-19, between 9pm and 5am. Traffic will still be able to travel north using one of the southbound lanes.
· SH1 Nikau Road to Pokeno interchange: There will be a full southbound closure on March 21 between 9pm and 5am to carry out general maintenance. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes.
· SH1 Pokeno interchange to Nikau Road: There will be a full northbound closure on March 18 between 9pm and 5am to carry out general maintenance. Traffic will still be able to travel north using one of the southbound lanes.
· Pioneer Road (South) to Mercer interchange: There will be a full southbound closure on March 17 and 19 between 10pm and 5am to undertake resurfacing. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes.
· Pioneer Road (North): The Pioneer Road northbound off-ramp will be closed due to slip repairs. Please continue on SH1 and exit at Pokeno northbound off-ramp, turn around at McDonald Road and head south using Pokeno southbound on-ramp on SH1 to get off at Pioneer Road (South). Work will be ongoing until May 10.
· SH2 Pokeno: Slip repairs are being carried out until March 20 between 7am and 7pm outside Max Birt Sawmills, Pokeno (1.5km from the SH1 Southern Motorway on-ramp). During this time there will be speed reductions in place and road layout changes. More information
· Pinnacle Hill Road to Dobson Road: Stop/go traffic management will be in place from March 17-21, between 9pm and 5am for stormwater maintenance. Please follow traffic management directions and stop when asked.
Taranaki
· SH3 Uruti: Slip repairs continue at SH3 Uruti, north of Mangamaio Road. The work includes the installation of rock mesh protection to improve the safety and resilience of this slip-prone area of the network. The site will be run under stop/go traffic controls 24/7 with delays of approximately 10-15 minutes for the duration of construction and is expected to be completed by the end of March.
· SH3 Mt Messenger: From 7pm on April 5 to 4am on April 8, SH3 Mt Messenger will be closed for resurfacing. There will be scheduled openings to clear traffic queues. Outside this time, road users can expect stop-go traffic management at night between 6pm and 6am between April 2-19, with delays expected of up to 15 minutes. Road users are encouraged to plan ahead.
· SH3 Te Ara Tutohu Waitara to Bell Block: Until mid-June, Princess Street will be closed between SH3 and Armstrong Avenue to everyone except residents while roadworks continue. People travelling to or from Waitara via Princess Street will need to use Nelson Street or Bayly Street. Those wanting to access Princess Street west from Princess Street east (Tikorangi side) will need to use Bayly Street. Both lanes of SH3 are open, and a temporary roundabout will be in place at the Princess Street and SH3 intersection, with the current traffic lights removed. The roundabout is expected to be complete by mid-2024 More Information
· SH3 Pio Pio: Crews will complete asphalt repairs at Moa Street, SH3 in Pio Pio between Ruru and Tui Streets from March 22-26 (weather permitting) between 4pm and 6am, Sunday to Friday. There will be stop/go in place, delays of approximately 10 minutes can be expected. Pedestrian and property access will be maintained; however, some parking may be impacted temporarily while particular areas are under repair. Access to businesses within the site will be maintained, and the footpath will not be impacted. In the case of unsuitable weather, work will be postponed to the next available night.
· SH4 Paroparowhero Culvert Replacement: Work to repair damage from heavy rainfall on SH4 north of Taumarunui, between the intersection of SH43 and Okahukura Bridge Road will continue until June 2024. The repair work involves a temporary lane to maintain traffic flow under 24/7 e-light stop/go controls, while crews install a 3.5 x 4 metre box culvert. From early next week, vehicles will use a temporary road built to enable crews to complete work over both lanes of the existing state highway. Please drive carefully and follow all temporary speed restrictions in place. The work is scheduled to take approximately 6 months, weather permitting. Road users are asked to plan ahead for delays of up to 15 minutes in this area.
For up to 48 hours following completion of chipseal sites, a 50km/h temporary speed limit will be in place until the road is swept and line marking reinstated. 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.
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