An overnight closure is being planned for State Highway 29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road (TDTR) this week.

From 8pm Tuesday, December 2, until 3.30am Wednesday, December 3, the road will be closed to allow NZTA to progress construction of the major interchange at SH29/TDTR, between Tauriko and Tauranga CBD, as part of Stage 1 of the Takitimu North Link project.

Overnight works will include asphalting, steel barrier installation, pavement widening and line marking, an NZTA spokesperson said in a statement.

Following the closure, both lanes of traffic will be shifted to the east side of the state highway on the newly laid section of road.

This will allow crews to finish the southern end pavements, including the ramps on and off the new flyover bridge.

Detours will be in place during the closure:

Light vehicles: via Moffat Rd and Cambridge Rd

Heavy vehicles: via SH29A

“This overnight closure is a critical step in delivering the Takitimu North Link project. By shifting traffic onto the new alignment, we can complete the southern end pavements and prepare the flyover bridge for opening,” Waikato & Bay of Plenty infrastructure delivery regional manager Darryl Coalter said.

“The long-term benefits will be significant – improved safety, reduced congestion and a more resilient transport network for Tauranga and the wider Bay of Plenty.”

New road layout at SH29/Takitimu Drive interchange. Image / NZTA

The SH29/TDTR interchange design features a 363‑metre flyover bridge, which will take traffic towards Tauranga CBD, and spans part of the Kopurererua Valley Reserve – one of Australasia’s largest urban wetlands.

A roundabout will provide entry onto the new state highway towards Te Puna, while a slip lane on the eastern side will keep traffic flowing from Tauranga CBD towards Tauriko.

The Takitimu North Link Stage 1 project is a Crown-funded new 6.8km four-lane expressway between Tauranga and Te Puna, providing an alternative route to the existing SH2.

Takitimu Drive Flyover bridge - fast facts

Super-T structure

363m bridge one lane each way

14 piles, with the deepest 43 metres

400,000sq m earthworks

Approx. 14-month construction timeframe.