New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and contractors Downer advised that the works were expected to take five days of closures to complete.
Due to the layout of the road, the route between Taupō and Tūrangi needed to be closed for crew safety, said Andrew Oakley, system manager at NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
“The 330m section of road needs to be reconstructed, as the underlying layers of the road have reached the end of their useful life. Unfortunately, a closure of the road is the only safe way to complete this.
“We have worked with our contractors to minimise disruption as much as possible.
“Starting Tuesday 30 January, the road will be closed between 9am and 2:30pm and will operate under stop/go traffic management between 7:00am and 9:00am, and again from 2:30pm until 7:00pm for commuter traffic.”
There will be a traffic detour around the western side of the lake, via SH14 and SH32.
In a letter from Downer, people living along the affected stretch of road were advised that access would be maintained for buses, but residents would need to reach their homes via the nearest end of the highway.
“During 9 am – 2.30 pm we ask that you choose the appropriate end of SH1 to enter as vehicles will not be permitted to drive through the worksite. Please speak to the traffic controllers on-site and follow their directions.”
The “road rehabilitation” project was planned for last year but deferred due to Cyclone Gabrielle.
Works were originally slated to begin on February 14, the day when the region saw the most damage from the high winds and torrential rain that battered parts of the North Island.
Oakley said that disruption was regretted but necessary, as the repairs were now more urgently needed.
“We appreciate that this work is disruptive to both local residents and business owners, as well as those taking longer journeys. This work was postponed due to Cyclone Gabrielle last summer and is now urgent.
“We’ve chosen an option that reduces disruption as much as possible, while providing a great outcome for road users moving forward.”
A statement from NZTA Waka Kotahi said foam bitumen stabilisation, a construction method which recycles existing material from the road and mixes it with bitumen, will be used to minimise the time spent fixing the road surface.
While the road is closed, crew will also take the opportunity to complete other projects including road resurfacing at Waitahanui.
NZTA Waka Kotahi said once these works were completed, the next major project in the area would be on SH1 through the Desert Road, which would necessitate night closures later in the summer.
Details of dates would be released once confirmed, they said.
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