State Highway 1 Desert Road is now closed for the next two months between Tūrangi and Waiouru for a large programme of work that includes reconstructing 16 lane kilometres of road, improving drainage, and clearing about 15km of road shoulder.

During this period, the deck of the Mangatoetoenui Bridge will also be replaced.  

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Waikato System Manager Andy Oakley said the programme of work for SH1 is ambitious, and full closures allow the work to be completed efficiently and safely. 

“Along with the Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated project, we have a closure of SH1 at Karāpiro, south of Cambridge, for 4 days next week starting at midnight on Sunday 19 January," Oakley said.

“Our crews are working as quickly as possible to complete all the work on SH1. We understand people can get frustrated when using the alternative routes around the works, but this is a reminder to please be patient and prepare for a journey that may be longer than anticipated. Plan ahead accordingly.  

“We encourage people to use the NZTA Journey Planner, it’s 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,” said Oakley. 

Bay of Plenty 

Tauranga 

·       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 is closed while the construction of the 120m long retaining wall takes place prior to the construction of the Fifteenth Ave Bridge. This is likely to remain in place until mid-2026.  

·       SH29 Kaimai Range: A programme of maintenance work continue on SH29 Kaimai Range with stop/go, lane closures and lane shifts in place. Over the coming months there will be several significant worksites to complete. More information  

·       SH29 Old Kaimai Road: Asphalt resurfacing will be completed overnight between 7pm and 6am on Sunday 19 January near Old Kaimai Road. Lane closures and stop/go will be in place, as well as a reduced speed limit of 50km/h during the day. 

·       SH29 McLaren Falls Road: The Lower Kaimai passing lane from Poripori Road until just after McLaren Falls Road will be closed and reduced to 1 lane from Monday 20 January to Thursday 27 February while drainage maintenance work takes place near McLaren Falls Road. For the duration of the work there will be a 24/7 temporary speed limit through the SH29 site. The passing lane will open on weekends.  

·       SH29 Soldiers Road: Resurfacing work will get underway near Kaukumoutiti Stream Bridge, north of Soldiers Road, from Monday 20 until Friday 24 January, and then again on Tuesday 28 January. These works will take place at night, between 7pm and 6am, with stop/go in place, and a reduced speed limit of 50km/h during the day. During the last 2 night shifts, stop/stop for periods of up to 30 minutes will be required to complete resurfacing within the narrow bridge area. People are advised to expect delays. 

·       SH29 Tauriko West between Redwood Lane and Cambridge Road: A short section of the northbound lane on Cambridge Road, from the SH29 intersection to 563 Cambridge Road, is closed 24/7 until early February, with no entry into Cambridge Road from SH29. All Bethlehem-bound vehicles are required to detour via SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road or SH29A and Cameron Road. The free detour for heavy vehicles is via SH29A, Fifteenth Ave to SH2. The southbound lane of Cambridge Road remains open for the duration of the works. A 60km/h speed limit applies on SH29 on all approaches to the intersection, and a 30km/h speed limit around the work site on Cambridge Road. Access for Cambridge Road residents from SH29 is via the detours. Project construction is ongoing at multiple sites on SH29, with shoulder closures, reduced speed limits and mobile operations in place. People are advised to expect delays. More information   

·       SH29/Redwood Lane: Shoulder closures, reduced speed limits and mobile operations are in place. From Monday 20 to Thursday 23 January, between 9pm and 3.30am each night, stop/go and a temporary 30km/h speed limit will be in place for service relocation and shoulder widening along the southbound lane of SH29. Access to properties and Redwood Lane will be maintained. Motorists and cyclists are urged to drive and ride with extra care, especially in the areas between Redwood Lane and Belk Road, and adhere to the reduced speed.  

·       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 allowing 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 

·       SH2 TELTR: On Saturday 18 January the Tauranga Half Triathlon takes place. From 5.30am to 1pm the eastbound lane of the toll road from Domain Road (including the Domain Road Interchange eastbound on-ramp) to the intersection with SH33 will be closed. The alternative route for motorists during this time via the Te Puke Highway. The westbound lanes will remain open.

Western Bay of Plenty 

·       SH2 Apata Station Road to Wainui South Road: Road construction 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. 

·       SH2 Ōmokoroa Road: Road construction 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 Snodgrass Road, Te Puna: Night works are underway on the road rebuild near the Snodgrass Road and Te Puna Quarry Road intersection expected to be finished mid-February. . While the work is taking place, the entry into Snodgrass Road and Te Puna Quarry Road will be closed at the state highway end. Alternative roads are available to the south via Munro Road and to the north via Armstrong Road or Borrell Road. Work will start at 8pm each night finishing at 5.30am, Sunday to Thursday, there will be stop/go in place and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h during the day. 

·       SH2 Minden Road – Takitimu North Link Stage 1: Shoulder closures and stop/go traffic management are in place. Please take direction from staff on the ground and slow down through the work site. 

·       SH2 North chipseal programme: There are 9 chipseal sites from Te Mete Road to near Aongatete.  Tauranga to Katikati to be completed by 24 January. Katikati to Athenree Gorge boundary (top of hill near old Tauranga Road) to be completed by 31 January (weather dependent). There will be a temporary speed limit in place the day after the chipsealing has been completed to allow the chipseal to bed in. 

Rotorua 

·       SH30 Te Ngae Road, Rotorua: Resurfacing works on Te Ngae Road between Iles Road to Ōwhata Road is underway and due to be completed Friday 24 January, weather dependent. While work is taking place the road will be closed and traffic detoured. All traffic travelling north including heavy traffic will be required to turn left at Vaughan Road and follow detours to Ōwhata Roundabout. All southbound traffic will turn right at Ōwhata Roundabout and follow detours to Marino Road/SH30 Te Ngae Road intersection.  

·       SH30 Te Ngae Road: In addition to the above, overnight road resurfacing between Vaughan Road and Sala Street will be taking place from 7pm Sunday 19 to 5am Wednesday 29 January. Work will take place between 8pm and 5am each night. While this work is underway lane closures and a reduced speed limit will be in place and will remain for up to 48 hours until line marking has been completed. This work is weather dependent.  

·       SH5 Rotorua: Those travelling between Rotorua and Tīrau on SH5 will encounter 2 major road rebuilds and are advised to allow extra time when planning their journeys through this section of highway. The first is an approximate 2 kilometre stretch of SH5 just west of Oturoa Road Mamaku, with the second just east of Tapapa.  Both are expected to take 3 months to complete and will have stop/go traffic management and temporary speed restrictions in place during this time. More information 

·       SH38 Kaingaroa Forest: Tree felling will take place for 1 week from 21 January on SH38 near Dun Road, there will be a temporary speed limit in place of 30km/h while work is happening. 

·       SH36, Te Pu: A road rebuild including drainage work will begin on State Highway 36, Te Pu north of Dudley Road from Monday 20 January and is expected to take 10 weeks to complete.

Works will take place from Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am and 4pm, weather permitting. Expect delays while the work is taking place as there will be stop/go traffic management in place with a 30km/h speed limit. 

Waikato 

·       SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru overall programme:  Keep up to date - sign up to the e-newsletter. 

·       SH1 between Tūrangi and Waiouru: The Desert Road closed at 5am on Monday 13 January and will remain closed for approximately 2 months.  

As well as reconstructing 16 lane km (3 sites) of road, improving drainage, and clearing about 15km of shoulders, the deck of the Mangatoetoenui Bridge will be replaced.  The detour (from north to south) is via SH41, SH47, SH4, SH49 and back to SH1 in Waiouru. It is the usual recommended detour route whenever the Desert Road is closed and adds around 30 – 40 minutes to journeys. To encourage safe driving on the detours, the speed limit near and through Ohakune have been reduced to 50km/h while the detour is in place. Additional billboards and signage will be in place, and NZ Police have indicated they will have an increased presence on the detour roads. South of Tīrau to north of Putāruru: Final asphalt surfacing is scheduled to start on Sunday 19 January, subject to final testing. More information   

·       South of Tīrau to north of Putāruru: SH1 will be closed at nights from Monday 20 January from 7pm to 6am to put the final surfacing on the recently rebuilt road.  The road is expected to be closed for 10 nights, 7pm to 6am, with work complete by Tuesday 4 February. There will be no work on Saturday nights. There will also be no work on Sunday 26 or Monday 27 January due to Auckland Anniversary weekend.  During this time all traffic will be detoured from SH1 via SH29/SH27. This adds an extra 4.6km and approximately 8 minutes to journey times. 

East Waikato 

·       Various pre-chipseal sites on SH25, SH27, SH26, SH29 and SH2 in the Waikato have started and will continue until Saturday 15 February, weather permitting. The work will take place between 6am and 6pm each weekday. While the work is taking place there will be traffic management and speed restrictions in place. 

·       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 and is due to be completed in April 2025. There are temporary speed restrictions and a shoulder closure through the worksite. Stop/stop traffic management will be required at times. More information 

·       SH25 between Waihī and Whangamatā: Resurfacing repairs have started and will continue until Friday 24 January. While this work is taking place there will be stop/go traffic management in place, delays are to be expected. 

·       SH25 between Whiritoa and Whangamatā: Asphalt repairs will start on Sunday 12 until Friday 24 January at night between 6pm and 6am each night. There will be stop/stop traffic management in place due to the location of the worksite. Delays of up to 30 minutes can be expected. There will be no work on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 January.  

·       SH25 Onemana: A road rebuild will take place from 28 January until 22 February between the times of 6am and 6pm between Normans Access Road and Liddell Road.  Stop/go traffic management will be in place during this time. Delays of up to 20 minutes are expected.  

Central Waikato 

·       SH41 Tokaanu: Works to fix an underslip are complete and SH41 is now open. Further finishing works will continue in late January and will require a single lane closure.

·       SH5 Mamaku Ranges: A road rebuild is underway, with Stop/Go traffic management in place between 6am to 6pm. The work will continue through to mid-March. 10-minute delays can be expected. 

West Waikato 

·       SH3 Melville, Hamilton: Resurfacing will begin on SH3 Ōhaupō Road between Collins Road and Mahoe Street at the Normanby Avenue intersection, taking 5 nights to complete from Sunday 19 January between 8pm and 6am each night. While this work is taking place SH3 will be closed to through-traffic, a detour will be available via Collins Street, Prisk Street, Mahoe Street to re-join SH3 and then left on to SH1C Lorne Street. HPMV, heavy and over dimensional vehicles will be stacked and released. 

·       SH21 Narrows Bridge: SH21 Narrows Bridge resurfacing will take place over 2 nights, Sunday 9 and Monday 10 February between 8pm to 5am. While the work is taking place the road will be closed between SH3 intersection and the Tamahere Interchange, residents and businesses will have access at all times. The detour available is via SH1 northbound, southbound will use SH3 and SH1C to rejoin SH1.  

·       SH1 Tamahere Northbound on-ramp: Overnight Tuesday 11 February, for 1 night only, we will be completing resurfacing works on the northbound on-ramp at the Tamahere Interchange. Works will take place between 8pm and 5am. The northbound on-ramp at the Tamahere interchange is closed. All vehicles will use the southbound on-ramp, travel southbound to the Victoria Road Interchange and return northbound. 

·       SH1 Tamahere Interchange: On Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 February, taking 2 nights to complete, road resurfacing is taking place on the left lane of SH1 Waikato Expressway, Cambridge section, Tamahere and on the southbound on-ramp. Works will take place between 8pm and 5am. While this work is taking place, SH1 Waikato Expressway will be reduced to 1 lane from the SH21 Tamahere Interchange for 1.5km. All vehicles will be detoured via SH1B Victoria Road Interchange or SH26 Hillcrest Roundabout.  

·       SH1/SH29 Piarere intersection: 2 out of 3 permanent approach roads have now opened on the SH1/SH29 roundabout in Piarere, with the new SH1 (from Tīrau) and SH29 approaches opened in December 2024. The temporary Hamilton approach road remains in use while work continues on the permanent configuration, which is expected to be finished in early 2025. NZTA thanks motorists for their patience and asks drivers to stick to temporary speed limits and take extra care when travelling through the area while people adjust to the layout. View a map here

·       SH1 Karāpiro: SH1 will be closed to all traffic between Karāpiro Road south to SH1/29 Piarere for maintenance work from midnight Sunday 19 to midnight Thursday 23 January. During the works, contractors will lay 42,000m2 of chipseal and apply a second seal on barrier areas and shoulders. Following the resealing, the road will reopen with a 70km/h temporary speed limit. A detour will be in place, and traffic is urged to use alternative routes. All properties within the closure and sideroads leading to it will have access maintained. More information

·       SH3 Ōhaupō township: A road rebuild has started on SH3 on Ōhaupō Road in the Ōhaupō township and will take 7 weeks to complete. While the work is taking place, northbound light vehicles will be detoured 24/7 via Ryburn Road and Forkert Road, which will add approximately 8 minutes to the journey, heavy vehicles including buses, overweight and over dimension vehicles will be stacked and allowed through the worksite with delays of up to 30 minutes. The southbound lane will remain open to all traffic. More information 

·       SH30 Te Kūiti Rora Street: A road closure will be in place from Rora Street to SH3 Carroll Street for 1 night on Sunday 19 January for road repairs, from 6pm to 6am. While the closure is in place, a detour will be available for light vehicles via Rora Street and Ward Street to join SH3. HPMV’s and over-dimension vehicles must use Lawrence Street, Tammadge Street, Sommerville Road and Te Kumi Station Road to rejoin SH3. 

·       SH30 Bennydale: A second road rebuild site near Kiwi Place started on Tuesday 14 January and will take 6 weeks to complete. 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/go traffic management in place and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h. Delays of up to 20 minutes can be expected. 

North Waikato 

·       SH2 Waerenga: Line marking will take place between 9pm and 5am between Okaeria Road and Steen Road from Tuesday 21 January to Wednesday 22 January. Stop/go traffic management will be in place during this time.  

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 Tongaporutu: A road rebuild has begun between Pilot Road and Rapanui Road, taking 1 month to complete Monday to Saturday between 7am and 7pm each day. While the work is taking place there will be stop/go traffic management in place with a 30km/h speed limit, delays of up to 10 minutes can be expected. 

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)