Piarere roundabout foundations almost complete

Work on the new Piarere roundabout is well under way.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says it is making good progress on the new roundabout at the intersection of State Highway 1 and SH29 at Piarere.

In an update on its website, it confirms most of the foundation works have been completed.

From April 15, traffic south of the roundabout moved on to a newly constructed section of road beside SH1, with roadworkers now focusing their attention on the southern side - the approach to Tīrau.

The new section of road is a short bypass that rejoins SH1 before the intersection and was expected to remain in place until September 2024. The intersection would continue to operate as normal.

Motorists were advised to take extra caution when driving through the site.

A temporary speed limit of 60km/h was in place around the project site to protect roadworkers and those travelling through the area.

The new SH1/SH29 roundabout at Piarere.

Construction on the roundabout got under way in January 2024 and was expected to take up to two years to complete.

The 60-metre-wide roundabout was designed to improve safety and wait times for people travelling through Waikato.

An average of 20,000 vehicles travel through the SH1/SH29 intersection daily. It is a vital link between Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty, but has long been known as a notorious area for serious and fatal crashes.