It's official, summer has started! The change of season and build up to Christmas means the road renewals season is almost at the halfway point, with great progress being made across the regions. 

Contractors are out in force, which means there are more roadworkers out there keeping everyone safe near work sites.

"While most drivers are getting it right through worksites, it’s disappointing to see some people speeding and putting others at risk," said Sandra King, Bay of Plenty System Manager Bay at NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

“Speeding vehicles can flick up loose metal and other objects, which can be dangerous to our roadworkers and other road users.    

“Motorists also have less control at higher speeds. They may clip road cones and send them flying at our roadworkers or into oncoming traffic - or lose control completely.   

“Even when there is no one working on a site, we sometimes leave a reduced speed limit in place. This is to protect both road users and the road surface."   

King said temporary speed limits are left on sites for a reason – safety and quality. People will be driving on either a temporary surface or possibly freshly laid chipseal.

"We encourage drivers to take extra care, especially at night or in bad weather when visibility is reduced, so they can safely get to their destination," King said.   

“As always, 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 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/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. A shoulder closure and lane deviation are in place on Cambridge Road for the installation of sheet piles. A temporary 60km/h speed limit is in place on Cambridge Road and SH29 on all approaches to the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection for the duration of these works. On Wednesday 11 December, from 9am to 4pm, stop/go will be in place on Cambridge Road for the relocation of a power pole. People are advised to expect delays. More information  

·       SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road: Road resurfacing will take place at night from Sunday 1 December taking 5 nights to complete between the toll gantry and the pedestrian overbridge on SH29. Between 7pm and 6am there will be lane diversions and stop/go with a temporary speed limit of 30km/h in place. During the day there will be an uneven surface and temporary speed limits in place. 

·       SH29 Kaimai Range: A programme of night works continues with final surfacing of the road rebuild near Hanga Road; this work is due to be completed by Sunday 1 December. The final 2 nights of work are between 7pm and 6am on Friday 29 December and Sunday 1 December. 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 8pm 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 Sunday 1 December and Monday 2 December, 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 Friday 13 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 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. 

·       SH33 Paengaroa: Resurfacing work on SH33 between Allport Road and Maungarangi Road is underway and expected to be completed by Friday 13 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 on Thursday 19 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 began 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. 

·       SH5 Fairy Springs Road, Rotorua: Resurfacing between Cochrane Street and Barnard Road on SH5 Fairy Springs Road in Rotorua, will start on Sunday 1 December and take 2 nights to complete. While the work is underway there will be lane closures between 8pm and 5am each night, traffic management and speed restrictions. Traffic management will remain for 48 hours once the work is complete to bed in the chipseal surface. 

Eastern Bay of Plenty 

·       SH38 Rangitāiki Bridge: Work is underway on bridge repairs near Murupara and is expected to be completed prior to Christmas. 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.  

·       SH2 Waioeka Road, near Ōpōtiki: A road rebuild near the Apanui Road intersection is due to wrap up on Sunday 1 December with linemarking completing the work, between 7.30am and 4.30pm there will be 4-way stop/go traffic management in place.  

·       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. While the site is unattended there will be temporary speed limit of 50km/h in place. 

·       SH35 Te Kaha: A road rebuild is underway near Tūtaki Marae and the Te Kaha Hotel, between Copenhagen Road and Copenhagen Loop Road. Work hours are between 7am and 5pm Monday to Friday and is expected to be completed Tuesday 10 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 Thursday 19 December. Stop/go traffic management is in place with a temporary speed limit while the works are taking place. 

·       SH35 Whanarua Bay: Repairs to an underslip will start on Monday 2 December, work involves construction of a pile wall to reinstate the road shoulder. Stop/go traffic management will be in place during working hours.  This work will take about 6 weeks either side of the Christmas. 

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 

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

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

·       Tokoroa to upper Ātiamuri: The section between Tokoroa and Kinleith fully opened on Wednesday 27 November 2024. There is a temporary seed limit in place for the next few days while the new chip seal is bedded in, please stick to this as it’s there to keep everyone safe.  More information. 

·       Putāruru to Tokoroa:  SH1 between SH1/Princes Street Putāruru and the SH1/SH32 Tokoroa intersection is closed until on Friday 20 December.   
Detour:  

• • For light vehicles and local HPMV: all north and south bound SH1 vehicles will be detoured – starting in Princes Street, Arapuni Street, Arapuni Road, Old Taupō Road, SH32 - Tokoroa and vice versa. This will add approx. 20 mins and 18km to journey times. 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.  
• • HPMV Detour: heavy vehicles travelling beyond Tokoroa must use SH5 and SH30. 

There is 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. Businesses within soft closure are still open.  

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: Final asphalt surfacing was meant to have been completed under night-time road closures starting on Sunday 24 November. This has been postponed for further road testing which is needed before we can determine when it’s ready for the final surface. The date for the final surfacing isn’t confirmed, however it will be scheduled in early 2025. Once the date is confirmed, we will share this information. More information. 

·       East Taupō Arterial: SH1 is closed between the Wairakei Roundabout and the Broadlands Interchange until Friday 6 December. 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: Tūrangi to Waiouru – including the Desert Road – will be closed for vital road rebuilding and repairs from January. 

East Waikato 

·       Paeroa Christmas Parade: The Paeroa Christmas parade will take place on Saturday 6 December, between 6pm and 7pm. While the parade is taking place there will be a road closure between Victoria Street and Station Road with a detour via Victoria Street, Willoughby Street and Station Road. 

·       SH2 Waihī: Road resurfacing in Waihī at the Seddon Street roundabout will start on Monday 9 December between 10pm and 6am taking 3 nights to complete. The road will be closed from Kenny Street to Martha Street and from Haszard Street to Silverton Street, the detour back to SH2 is available via Kenny Street. 

·       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 during the day, Monday to Friday, while the work is done. 

·       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 Sunday 8 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 

·       The annual Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge is on this weekend with the rider check in starting at 6am on Saturday 30 November and prizegiving at 5.30pm. Anyone driving on SH32, SH41 and SH1 on Saturday should allow extra time for their journey, be patient and allow plenty of room for passing bikes. The Gravel Grind course for the Cycle Challenge crosses Broadlands Road twice and stop/go traffic control will be in place to give the crossing cyclists priority in both locations. Drivers are also advised to expect heavy traffic and a number of bikes in Taupō itself on event day. 

·       SH41 Hipaua: Slip works are completed, and the site will be clear by noon on Friday to prepare for the Lake Taupō Cycle Challenge this weekend, contractors will return next week to complete surface repairs.   

West Waikato 

·       SH1 Waikato Expressway - Ngāruawāhia section: A second week of full closures are ahead to ensure safety improvements and remedial works are completed by Christmas. The road will be closed to all traffic from midnight 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, including the detour routes, is in the latest project update.  

·       SH31 near Raglan Road: Road resurfacing is underway west of Raglan Road and is due to be completed by Friday 6 December. There will be stop/go traffic management in place while the work is underway. 

·       SH21 Narrows Bridge: 2 nights of road resurfacing will take place on Sunday 8 and Monday 9 December, between 8pm and 6am, on the Narrows Road Bridge on SH21 near Tamahere. SH21 Airport Road between Ōhaupō Road and SH1 Tamahere interchange will be closed to through traffic in both directions. There will be a detour available via SH3 and SH1C. 

·       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.   

·       Ōtorohanga Christmas Parade: The Ōtorohanga Christmas parade will take place on Saturday 6 December, between 5pm and 8pm. While the parade is taking place there will be a road closure on SH3 between Kakamutu Street and SH39 Te Kanawa Street with a detour via Huiputea Drive. 

·       SH30 Bennydale: Road rebuilding is underway on Ellis Road in Bennydale near Ohirea Road and is expected to be finished mid-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. 

North Waikato 

·       SH1 Nikau Road to Bombay interchange: There will be a full northbound closure on Sunday 1, Monday 2 and Thursday 5 December between 9pm and 5am. Traffic will still be able to travel north using one of the southbound lanes.  Please note, over dimension vehicles will not be able to use the contraflow. Please contact tmc@asm.nzta.govt.nz in advance for instructions.  

·       SH1 Nikau Road: The southbound off-ramp will be closed on Sunday 1 December between 9pm and 5am for maintenance. Please use alternative off-ramps at Razorback Road or Pōkeno.     

·       SH1 Nikau Road to Pōkeno: There will be a full southbound closure on Tuesday 3 December between 10pm and 5am for 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 Sunday 1 and Monday 2 December between 10pm and 5am. Traffic will still be able to travel north using one of the southbound lanes. Please slow down and follow traffic management instructions. Pōkeno northbound off-ramp will be closed as part of this closure. Please continue on SH1 and turn around at Nikau Road to head south on SH1. Exit at the Pōkeno southbound off-ramp. 

·       SH2 Between Wyatt Road and Kopuku Road: From Sunday 1 to Thursday 5 December. Please follow traffic management directions and stop when asked. Newly laid chipseal will require aftercare treatment. Reduced speeds will be in place during the day and night. 

·        SH2 Between Rawiri Road and Maxwell Road: From Sunday 1 to Thursday 5 December. Newly laid chipseal will require aftercare treatment. Reduced speeds will be in place during the day and night.    

·       SH2 Between Okaeria Road and Steen Road: On Sunday 1 and Monday 2 December. Newly laid chipseal will require aftercare treatment. Reduced speeds will be in place during the day and night.    

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 

·       SH51 and SH50: Various road closures are taking place in Napier for road resurfacing between Monday 2 December and Wednesday 11 December from 8pm to 5am each night. More information 

Taranaki 

·       SH3 Awakino Gorge: Maintenance will be carried out between Mōkau and Piopio in the Awakino Gorge from Tuesday 3 December to Thursday 5 December between 9.30am and 2.30pm. While these works are taking place the road will be closed. Outside of these closure times there will be stop/go traffic management in place and a 30km/h temporary speed limit from Monday 2 December to Friday 13 December between 7am and 7pm. Delays of up to 30 minutes can be expected. More information. 

·       SH3 Waitara Road: Final touches are being applied to the road surface between Nelson Street and Bayly Street from 8 December to 12 December, crews will be working between 8pm and 6am Sunday to Thursday. During the work, the road will either be completely closed to traffic or down to one lane. 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. More information 

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)