SH1 detour through Ngaruawahia this weekend

North-bound traffic will be detoured off the expressway at Horotiu between 8pm and 5am, before re-joining the expressway at Taupiri. Photo / NZTA

Work on the Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway will see night-time detours over two or three nights from Sunday, January 24.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says State Highway 1 traffic will be detoured through Ngaruawahia on the old state highway route (Great South Road) while work is done where the Hamilton section ties into the Ngaruawahia section.

The works include moving barriers and installing Safe Hits lane sticks.

On Sunday, January 24, all northbound traffic will be detoured off the expressway at Horotiu between 8pm and 5am, before re-joining the expressway at Taupiri.

The following night, southbound traffic will be detoured at Taupiri and re-join the expressway at Horotiu. Depending on progress, the southbound detour may stretch to a second night.

In case of unfavourable weather, works will be moved to the next fine night(s).

Further works of this nature will take place at regular intervals throughout the year. The 22km Hamilton section of the expressway is expected to open to traffic late this year.

Meanwhile, NZTA is urging motorists to take extra care at the intersection of State Highway 1 and State Highway 29 at Piarere until damaged intersection speed zone signs approaching the intersection are repaired.

The electronic signs detect when someone is turning into or out of a side road and temporarily reduce the legal speed limit on the state highway (usually from 100km/h to 60km/h or 70km/h). They also do this when someone is crossing the state highway from a side road.

Damage to the components within the road surface that trigger the signs meant they were permanently displaying 60km/h.

The signs have been turned off and the intersection is operating at a temporary speed limit of 70km/h.

NZTA says contractors are working with specialists to identify and coordinate a repair for the damaged components.