The closure is planned for next week from June 15 to June 19.
The closure is planned for next week from June 15 to June 19.
State Highway 29 over the Kaimāī Range will be closed for four nights.
The highway will be closed from June 15 to June 19, between 8pm and 3.30am each night.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Waikato system manager Andy Oakley said roading contractors will be completingroutine maintenance, including drain clearing, sign maintenance, road marking and surface repairs.
“We occasionally close SH29 for essential maintenance works. The full closures allow us to complete the work safety and efficiently – benefiting both road worker crews and road users,” Oakley said.
SH29 plays a critical role in connecting New Zealand’s largest port with the wider Golden Triangle region.
About 14,000 vehicles, including thousands of heavy vehicles, use the road daily, and Oakley said maintaining it was essential for safety and accessibility.
“We’ve worked closely with freight operators and roading contractors to co-ordinate the best possible schedule for these closures. By confirming specific days and times, regular road users – including freight operators – plan ahead to minimise disruptions to themselves and their customers,” Oakley said.
The detours for this closure are significant and add considerable time to journeys.
A map showing the closure and alternative routes. Image / NZTA
People were encouraged to check the NZTA Journey Planner and allow extra time for their journey or, if possible, delay travel over SH29 on these nights.
“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 Kaimāī Range.”
The closure points on the Waikato side would be at the SH29/24 and SH29/28 intersections, and on the Tauranga side at the SH29/Cambridge Rd intersection.
Emergency services wouldl have access at all times, and residents could access their property from the relevant side of the closure.
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
