Waikato roadworks: Highway disruption in lead-up to Christmas

Watch out for roadworks all over the Waikato in the lead-up to Christmas. Photo / Alex Cairns

The lead-up to Christmas will see “plenty of activity” on the Waikato and Bay of Plenty roading network, Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency said.

Waka Kotahi spokesman Roger Brady said the agency hoped to have a couple of months before the holidays to “push on” and complete a “significant portion” of work.

“This means people travelling across the region can expect roadworks on their route. It pays to plan ahead... [but] the more we do now, the easier it will be after the Christmas and New Year break,” Brady said.

Upcoming roadworks across the Waikato include safety improvements and remedial works at the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway on SH1.

Other work includes:

North Waikato

● SH1 Waikato Expressway – Rangiriri section: Remedial works requiring various interchange ramp closures continue until mid-November. SH1 traffic is being managed through the site with a temporary speed restriction of 50km/h. The final stage, commencing on November 5, will see the Te Kauwhata Interchange southbound off and on ramps closed, with drivers needing to use the Rangiriri ramps. More information.

● SH2 Mangatāwhiri: Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place on Tuesday, November 7, between 9pm and 5am.

East Waikato

● SH25: Recovery works are underway at a number of sites, with temporary traffic management such as lane closures and stop/go along with reduced speed limits in place where required. More information.

● SH25 Thames: Road resurfacing commences on November 12 on SH25, south of the Goldfields shopping centre. The work will take place at night for two weeks, and during this time stop/go traffic management will be in place, From time to time, side roads will be closed to help finish the work as quickly as possible. The affected side roads include Willoughby Street, Richmond Street and Sealey Street, access for residents will be provided from Pollen Street. Access to Richmond Street West will be maintained at all times.

● SH25A Kōpū-Hikuai: A section of road near the summit has collapsed, and the road is impassable. Detour via SH26, SH2, SH25 via the Karangahake Gorge, or SH25 via Coromandel Town. Work to construct a bridge over the slip area is underway, and the bridge is expected to be open by March 2024. Additional works are taking place across SH25A while the road is closed. More information.

● SH26 Puriri: Work to repair the road pavement commences Monday, November 6 at a site south of Kōpū, near Puriri. The work is expected to be completed within two weeks and will be undertaken using stop/go traffic management.

● SH26 Murray Road: Asphalt resurfacing takes place from Sunday, November 5, taking one week to complete. Stop/go traffic management will be in place between 8pm and 5am each night. Minor delays are expected.

Central Waikato

● SH1 Lichfield: The northbound slow lane near Puriri Road is closed until further notice, while investigations take place into repair options.

● SH1 Ātiamuri: Temporary steel barriers have been installed nearby from Ātiamuri village to Ohakuri Road and a temporary speed restriction of 50km/h applies ahead of construction starting on safety barrier installation. More information.

● SH1 Tuahu: Road rehabilitation commences on November 13 and is expected to take two weeks to complete. During this time there are intermittent daytime road closures, alternating with stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits. When the road is closed, light vehicles and buses can detour via Tirohanga Road, Forest Road and Oruanui Road. Heavy vehicles need to detour via SH30 and SH5. All vehicles can use SH32 as an alternative route south. More information.

● SH1 Maroa Road: Daytime stop/go traffic management is in place on weekdays along with a temporary speed restriction, while finishing works and final surfacing are completed by Christmas.

● SH1 Wairakei: Road rehabilitation continues and is expected to be complete by mid-November. Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place. Delays are to be expected.

● SH5 Mamaku: Road rebuilding continues along a 560m section within the Mamaku Range. Stop/go traffic management will be in place between 6am and 6pm each day, Monday to Friday. Work is expected to be complete by late November.

● SH41 Tokaanu: Due to a washout, the road is down to one lane under temporary traffic lights, with a 30km/h temporary speed restriction in place.

● SH5 Iwitahi (Napier/Taupo Road): Road rehabilitation continues and is expected to be complete by mid-November. Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place at all active worksites. Delays are to be expected.

West Waikato

● SH1 Waikato Expressway - Ngāruawāhia section: Safety improvements and remedial works require the closure of a single lane in each direction with a 50km/h temporary speed limit, until completion. Major southbound surfacing works in November and December will require a block of night closures and detours for about 5 weeks. The closures will take place from Sunday to Thursday each week, running from November 12 to December 14, 7pm to 5am each night. The detour is via SH1B Gordonton Road. Light traffic can turn off at Lake Road to rejoin SH1 at the Northern Interchange. Heavy vehicles must use SH1B, including the local road detour at Telephone Road, and connect to SH1 again at Cambridge or via SH26 into Hillcrest. More information.

● SH1 Tamahere: Road resurfacing takes place at night from November 19, for four nights. During this time there will be two nights of southbound closures with all traffic detoured via the off and on ramps, then two nights of northbound lane closures including the off and on ramps. During the northbound work, detours will be in place for traffic wanting to use the Tamahere Interchange. Please follow all signs and instructions from crew members.

● SH1 Karāpiro (Keeley’s Reserve): The bulk of the work has wrapped up on the turnaround bay at Keeley’s Reserve in Karāpiro. The reserve has reopened to the public and the turnaround bay can be used. Due to a nationwide shortage, the streetlighting system is yet to be installed and this will be completed just prior to Christmas or in early 2024. More information.

● SH3 Ōhaupō: The Waipā District Council-led Ōhaupō Village pedestrian safety improvements are underway and are expected to take six months to complete. During this time, lane shifts and stop/go traffic management will be in place, along with temporary speed limits.

● SH30 Te Kūiti: Due to a slip, a priority give-way is in place near Mangaokewa Road. Motorists are advised to proceed with caution.

● SH30 Benneydale: Road resealing is taking place in the Benneydale area for two weeks, under stop/go traffic management between 6am and 8pm each weekday. This work is weather-dependent. Minor delays are expected when sealing is taking place.

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