Crews continue to tackle a significant programme of summer maintenance on State Highway 29 (SH29). 

Work to rebuild and resurface the road across 9 sites began in October 2024, with 3 sites near Hanga Lane, Old Kaimai Road and Gargan Road now complete. 

Resurfacing got underway near Kaukumoutiti Stream Bridge last week, north of Soldiers Road, with 2 final night shifts required on Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 January.  

Works will take place between 7pm and 6am, with stop/go in place.

There will be a reduced speed limit of 50km/h during the day. Some periods of stop/stop, of up to 30 minutes, will also be required to complete work within the narrow bridge area. People are advised to expect delays.  

Drainage and asphalt resurfacing work will get underway near McLaren Falls Road on Tuesday 28 January* to Tuesday 11 March (*this work was originally scheduled to start Monday 20 January). 

The drainage work will be carried out first, with work occurring during the day, Monday to Friday. 

Temporary traffic management will be in place including the closure of the entire passing lane starting at Poripori Road and finishing just after McLaren Falls Road (Monday to Friday only, opening at the weekends), plus a reduced speed limit of 50km/h through the site, and 30km/h at the intersection with McLaren Falls Road. 

Once drainage works are complete, asphalting is expected to get started in February and will involve lane closures, a reduced speed limit of 50km/h and periods of stop/go at night. 

Road users should be prepared for delays and allow extra time for their journeys. 

Further sites getting underway next week include chip sealing near Kaimai School (Tuesday 28 January), near Hanga Lane (Wednesday night) and near Ruahihi Road (Thursday night).  

Works at each site will take place across 1 night, between 7pm and 6am, with stop/go in place. There will be a reduced speed limit of 30km/h during the day. People are advised to expect delays.  

These will be followed by the next round of full Kaimai Range overnight closures.  

The Kaimai Range will see night closures (for all traffic) over 2 weeks, from Sunday 9 February to the morning of Friday 14 February (5 nights) and from Sunday 16 February to the morning of Friday 21 February (5 nights), between 8pm and 4.30am each night.  

During the day SH29 will be open but may be under a temporary speed restriction. 

The detours for this closure are significant and add considerable time to journeys. People are encouraged to check the NZTA Journey Planner and allow extra time for their journey, or if possible, delay travel over SH29 on these nights.   

The detour routes are south: SH28, SH5, SH30, SH33, SH2 via Rotorua  and north SH24, SH27, SH26, SH2 via Karangahake Gorge.