Works on State Highway 4 near Ruapehu rail viaduct will require two weeks of road closure

Andy Oakley says the Central Plateau has a unique climate, with a limited period available in which to undertake road works. Photo / Glenbrook Vintage Railway / Finn O'Regan

The renewal of a section of State Highway 4 near the Makatote Rail Viaduct in the Ruapehu District will require two weeks of road closure.

Work is likely to get under way on January 9, with full daytime closures expected from 8am to 4.30pm.

New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Waikato system manager Andy Oakley said it would be disruptive to road users, particularly tourists travelling to or from destinations within the region.

“However, we also need to complete renewals to ensure roads are safe and accessible for those driving on them,” Oakley said.

“The Central Plateau has a unique climate and there is a very limited period within which we can undertake this type of work.”

At 1074m above sea level, the Central Plateau is the highest stretch of the state highway network in New Zealand.

“The Makatote area in particular is very challenging as the site is shaded,” Oakley said.

“This means any moisture creates a damp site, and that can take a long time to dry out.”

He said due to narrow road widths at the location, road users would be unable to fit alongside the machinery.

Motorists travelling south on SH4 will need to detour around the site via SH47 at National Park, SH46 at Tongariro, SH1 at Rangipo, SH49 at Waiouru and back on to SH4 at Tohunga Junction.

Northbound motorists will detour in the opposite order.

Oakley said those visiting the area should plan ahead because the detour would add over an hour to journey times.

“We’ve got our fingers crossed that we get good weather. However, things may change at short notice.”

People need to respect the roadworkers, who will be working as hard as possible to complete a large programme of work, he said.

Two road rebuilds on SH1 Desert Rd will take place throughout January and into early February.

Stop/go traffic management will be in place at these sites, with minor delays expected.

Works in the Ruapehu district form part of NZTA’s summer programme, with approximately 2500km of road lanes being renewed between October 2023 and mid-2024.

Last October, repairs were made to a section of SH3 north of Waverley, along with further work on SH3 between Turakina and Bulls near Dudding Lake.

The work took seven weeks to complete, with the southbound lane closed to allow for resurfacing and drainage works to take place.

In December, the final and largest site of repairs on SH4 from serious damage caused by the June 2015 floods was completed after two years’ worth of work.

Work on the retreat project started at the beginning of 2022 and involved extensive geoengineering and earthmoving efforts.

Hundreds of trees, shrubs and grasses were planted as part of the retreat project, and in November the project team, including iwi, reinstated two streams on the site to their original paths.