Kaimai Range: Four-night road closure scheduled for State Highway 29

State Highway 29 over the Kaimai Range will be closed for four nights starting 8pm Sunday, May 19.

The closures will result in significant detours and “add considerable time to journeys” the New Zealand Transport Agency has confirmed.

The scheduled closure was needed for asphalt renewals and routine activities including drain clearing, sign maintenance and road marking.

NZTA regional manager maintenance and operations for Waikato and Bay of Plenty Roger Brady said the result of the closures would be a smoother, safer road.

“The full closure approach is safer for both crews and road users,” Brady said.

Brady said about 14,000 vehicles use the road every day, including several thousand heavy vehicles.

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“It is critical to maintain SH29 to ensure the route is safe and accessible for all road users.

“We’ve collaborated with freight operators and roading contractors to confirm days and times that work best for everybody. By locking in a schedule, regular road users including freight operators, can make plans to minimise the disruption to themselves and their customers.”

The closures, which will take place between 8pm and 3.30am from May 19 to May 22 (inclusive), will mean significant detours and changes to travel times.

Brady said motorists would need to allow extra time for the journey over Kaimai Range or delay travel on these nights.

State Highway 29 over the Kaimai Range will be closed for four nights starting 8pm Sunday, May 19.

“This closure is the second in our series of closures for the corridor. So far, the approach has worked well, and we’ve had good feedback.

“We’d like to thank our stakeholders and partners for working with us on this. While disruptive in the short term, everyone will enjoy the benefits of having a more reliable and safer route over the Kaimai Range.”

The closure points on the Waikato side are at the SH29/24 and SH29/28 intersections and on the Bay of Plenty side at the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection.

“Emergency services will have access at all times, and residents can access their property from the relevant side of the closure,” Brady said.

SH29 Tauriko Enabling Works

To minimise disruption to the community, the SH29 Tauriko Enabling Works project crew is installing semi-permanent guardrails and barriers during the planned closures.

According to NZTA’s press release, between May 19 and May 23, from 8pm to 5am each night there will be also works in the SH29/Redwood Lane area to install semi-permanent traffic management for the Tauriko Enabling Works project.

There will be stop/go in place and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h on SH29 between south of Belk Road and north of Redwood Lane and on Redwood Lane and Belk Road at the intersection with SH29.

Access to Redwood Lane and Belk Road will remain open for the duration of the works. This work is weather dependent.

Alternative routes

• South: all vehicles: SH28, SH5, SH30, SH33, SH2 via Rotorua
• South: light vehicles: SH28, SH5, SH36 via Rotorua
• North: SH24, SH27, SH26, SH2 via Karangahake Gorge