Waikato roadworks: SH1 Ngāruawāhia closures for safety upgrades to start on Wednesday

Ongoing work on the Waikato Expressway section near Ngaruawahia will see night-time southbound traffic detoured. Photo / Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency

The overnight closures of the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway won’t start until Wednesday, November 15, due to resource constraints.

Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency originally planned to start the closures on Sunday, November 12.

The agency said its contractors needed the closures to carry out ongoing remedial and safety works.

The works will see night-time southbound traffic detoured for about five weeks.

The closure will be in place overnight between the Gordonton Rd interchange at Taupiri and the Horotiu SH1/SH1C interchange from 7pm to 5am, Sunday to Thursday, until December 14.

Due to works happening at the same time in Ngāruawāhia township, road users will be unable to use the old highway for detours.

Waikato Expressway Ngaruawahia section road works: Detours for light traffic and heavy vehicles overnight are in place. Images / Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency

Instead, light traffic from Taupiri interchange (via SH1B Gordonton Rd) can turn off into Lake Rd to rejoin SH1 at the Northern Interchange.

Heavy vehicles (50 tonnes and over) must use SH1B, including the local road detour around Telephone Rd, and connect to SH1 again at Cambridge or via SH26 into Hamilton.

The detours will be signposted. The Lake Rd detour will add about 10 minutes to travel times, while the freight detour will add up to 15 minutes.

The safety improvements will bring the section up to 110km/h standard. Waka Kotahi announced the works last month.

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