Wet and cold weather won't stop contractors from continuing to work through their renewal programmes, with a flexible approach being key to success, reports Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

Contractors plan their work well in advance, however they also monitor weather conditions to decide on where to work on the day, says Waikato system manager Cara Launder.

'As part our overall chipseal programme, each network has a number of sites to complete across their entire region. Weather patterns can be very different across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty region, and therefore crews may make a late decision on which site they will seal on the day.

'While this can make it challenging for us to communicate accurately on a day-to-day basis, crews ensure that the sites they pick will not be overly disruptive, and where possible on-site signage will be in place in advance of work taking place.

'This approach helps us ensure we get through the significant resealing programmes the teams have in front of them, which in turn ensures we have roads that are suitably waterproofed for the winters ahead.

'We always recommend the use of the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner (www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz) before heading out, as this provides real-time updates,” says Ms Lauder.

In total Waka Kotahi is undertaking a programme of over 700 lane kilometres of road resealing and rebuilding across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2023.

Bay of Plenty

Tauranga

• Takitimu North Link Stage One: A range of construction activities are taking place between Te Puna and Bethlehem. This includes stop/go traffic management in place at Te Mete Road and Wairoa Road, and a number of shoulder closures and temporary speed limits. More information.
• SH2 Hewletts Road: As part of the Tauranga City Council Totara Street cycleway project, work at the intersection of SH2 Hewletts Road and Totara Street is underway and will be completed by mid-November. Construction work includes signalising the existing slip lane and upgrading the island to provide a fully signalised crossing for shared path users. These works will take place between Tasman Quay and Totara Street from Sunday to Thursday night between 8pm and 6am. Eastbound traffic along Hewletts Road will be maintained on both lanes but will be reduced to one lane intermittently during this time. Minimal delays are expected. More information.
• SH2 Bay Link: There will be single lane closures on SH2/Maunganui Road between Concord Avenue and Exeter Street, and on the approaches to Bayfair roundabout, from approximately 7pm to 6am, Sunday 9 October to Thursday 13 October to allow for backfilling behind new concrete barriers and reinstatement of the temporary barriers around the northern ramp of the Bayfair flyover. This scheduled work is weather-dependent. If it is delayed due to weather or other unforeseen issues, it will be carried out during the next suitable shift. Drivers are reminded of the new layout at the Bayfair roundabout. More information.
• SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road: A section of the Kopurererua Valley cycleway is temporarily closed while services are relocated alongside SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road. There is an alternate track parallel to the closed section and signposted for track users. This work is expected to be completed in October. A reduced speed limit of 80km/h will be in place while our contractor's crews are working behind the barriers. More information.

• SH29 Tauriko West: Underground service location work is taking place on SH29 between the Omanawa Road intersection and the Takitimu Drive Toll Road roundabout, as well as on Cambridge Road, Whiore Avenue and Taurikura Drive. Work will take place from Sunday 16 October to Friday 21 October and will be carried out at night between 7pm and 6am. Stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h speed limit will be in place due to lane and shoulder closures. It is expected that most works will be completed over one to two nights at each location.
• SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR): For the Tauranga City Council led Pāpāmoa East Interchange project, traffic on the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road just north of the Kaituna River Bridge is back to three lanes. Whilst earthworks continue on the south side of the road, both eastbound lanes and one westbound lane are now open and the speed limit through the worksite is 70km/h. This layout will remain in place until April 2023. More information.

Western Bay of Plenty

• SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa: Safety improvement works continue at five active sites: between Athenree Road and Tanners Point Road, Tanners Point Road to Tuapiro Road, Rea Road / Tetley Road intersection, Morton Road intersection and Apata Station Road to Esdaile Road. Minor delays are expected. More information. Chipsealing commences near Athenree later this month. Work will take place at night, between the hours of 7pm and 6am, Sunday to Thursday nights. When works are taking place stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit will be in place. The majority of this work is expected to be complete in December.

• SH29 Kaimai Range: Maintenance activities including road surface repairs, subsoil drainage installation and chipsealing are taking place this week. Most work will take place at night, depending on the location of the work there will be either shoulder or lane closures, and potentially stop/go traffic management in place. Minor delays are expected.

Rotorua

• SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage Two: Multiple worksites are active between Iles Road and Puketāwhero Park to excavate the shared service trench for the relocation of underground services and installation of the new watermain. Temporary traffic management will be in place with no left turn lane out of Basley Road to SH30/Te Ngae Road, and no left turn from the SH30/Te Ngae Road westbound lane into Tennyson Drive; minor delays are expected. The upgraded footpath on the lakeside between Iles Road to Tennyson Drive, heading east on SH30/Te Ngae Road, is now open. A temporary signalised pedestrian crossing on SH30/Te Ngae Road at the city end of Puketāwhero Park has also been installed. Works continue in the area and pedestrians are asked to take care. More information.
• SH30/SH33 Te Ngae Junction: Between 5pm Sunday 9 October to Friday 14 October, the contractor will be working 24 hours to first remove and then replace the existing road surface. During the day two lanes of traffic will remain open, with a reduced speed limit of 30km/h through the site. During the night stop/go will be in place. This work is weather dependent. The works may cause minor traffic delays and people are asked to take extra care while traveling through the site. More information.
• SH33 Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa: Safety improvement upgrade work continues near Pareteiro - Sun Valley Curves passing lane. During the day and when the crew are on site, either two lanes will be open or stop/go will be in place – depending on the works. A temporary speed limit of 30km/h applies. Outside of work hours and when the site is unattended, the worksite will have a shoulder closure and a temporary speed limit of 50km/h. There are also ongoing shared path works between Mourea Bridge and Ōkere Falls. Traffic management will be a combination of shoulder closures and stop/go as required to carry out the works safely. Allow extra time. More information.

Eastern Bay of Plenty

• SH35 Motu River: 24/7 single lane access has been reinstated, with traffic signal control in place, along with a 30km/h temporary speed limit. There will be periods where traffic is stopped at each end to allow works to take place across the full road width. Works will continue until mid-October. More information.
• SH35 Chipseal: Chipsealing continues near at the eastern end of the BOP region. Work will take place during the day, between the hours of 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday. When works are taking place stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit will be in place. The majority of this work is expected to be complete by mid-November.
• SH30 Awakeri to Whakatāne: Pavement and utility site investigation work along SH30 between the SH2/SH30 and Shaw Road/SH30 intersections continues this week. Works will be undertaken across a number of sites, at night or during the day (depending on the specific task), under stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit.
• SH30 Whakatāne: Resurfacing work between SH2/Gateway Drive/Phoenix Drive and Whakatāne Landing Bridge continues, and will be complete by mid-October. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place on SH30 between 6pm and 6am Sunday to Thursday; during this time Coastlands residents will have a signposted single direction detour. Temporary speed limits will remain in place during the day when there are uneven surfaces.

• SH2 Waimana Gorge: Road rehabilitation commences Monday 3 October just south of Fraser Road. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place until late-October.
• SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki: Service relocation work between Pohutukawa Drive and Paerata Ridge Road continues. Stop/go traffic management will be in place during the day when this work is taking place. This work is expected to be complete by the end of the month. More information.
• SH2 Waioeka Gorge: A section of the Waioeka River is in close proximity to the road edge. A shoulder closure is in place, and remedial works have commenced.