Road rebuilding and resealing is continuing at pace across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty region. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said sealing crews are making their way along a number of corridors across the state highway network, and road rebuilding continues at various sites across the region.

Fine weather is crucial to the success of any road renewal, NZTA Waikato System Manager Andy Oakley said.

“Water is the enemy of roads, creating potholes in winter, and it also causes issues during summer when we are trying to rebuild or reseal roads. If the surface is wet prior to a reseal it can lead to the new surface not sticking, which results in the new seal peeling off,” Oakley said.

“Similarly, water sitting in the layers of a new road build will create issues later on, shortening the life of the road. This is why, after rain events, we need to wait for sites to dry out before we can undertake any meaningful work.

“It can be frustrating when passing a site that no one is working on, however this will be for good reason. NZTA and our contractors are committed to providing a safe and accessible state highway network and undertaking quality renewals is a key component of this.”

NZTA continues to encourage road users to plan ahead, understand what will be happening on their route, and adjust their travel accordingly.

To find out more about the upcoming maintenance season, sign up to receive the regional newsletter here.

Roadworks may be postponed due to rain or other factors that disrupt the weekly schedule.

Check the NZTA Journey Planner for the latest travel information and journey times before starting your journey.

Bay of Plenty

Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty    

Work starting this week:

• SH29/Cambridge Road: From Monday 6 to Tuesday 14 October (Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm) specialist contractors will be working on the southern side of SH29 between the SH29/SH36 roundabout and Cambridge Road to carry out work on the underground power cables. Traffic management will include a lane shift and reduced speed limit. More information.
• SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link, Pāpāmoa East interchange: To safely construct the bridge deck and barriers, a full closure of SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road is required over 2 nights - Thursday 9 and Thursday 16 October, between 8pm and 5am. While the road is closed, traffic will be diverted via Te Puke Highway each night in both directions. Further partial closures planned in October include Wednesday 22 October eastbound lanes only and Thursday 23 October westbound lanes only.

• SH2 Rogers Road, Pukehina: A road rebuild starts Monday 6 October, the worksite is approximately 650 metres west of Rogers Road and >continues on SH2 for 1.3 kilometres. Initial work includes vegetation clearing and minor earthworks, followed by the road rebuild process. It will take about 10 weeks, Monday to Saturday from 6am to 6pm, with stop/go traffic management in place throughout the works. More information.

Work starting soon: 

• SH29 Kaimai closure: SH29 Kaimai Range will close for 5 nights, from Sunday 12 to Thursday 16 October, between 7.30pm and 3.00am each night (reopening early Friday morning). These closures are necessary to complete routine maintenance such as clearing drains, sign maintenance, road marking and surface repairs. The closure points on the western (Waikato) side are at the SH29/24 and SH29/28 intersections and on the eastern (BOP) side at the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection. More information.

Work underway: 

• SH29 Lower Kaimai: A 1.5km section of SH29 near Valley View Road is undergoing a full rebuild, with temporary traffic management and reduced speed limits in place until early 2026. The passing lane near Valley View Road will remain closed throughout the works. Works are scheduled weekdays Monday to Friday, with traffic management in place by 7am and contraflow (traffic in both directions) between 8am and 5pm. Overnight Sunday to Thursday, from 7pm to 6am, contraflow will be removed and single lane traffic under stop/go. Weekends - 2 lanes open and no work scheduled. NZTA acknowledges that delays are likely due to the scale and duration of the project and appreciates your patience. More information. 

• SH29/Redwood Lane: Temporary traffic management is in place on SH29 near Redwood Lane, including shoulder closures, lane shifts, mobile operations and a 50km/h speed limit. A 24/7 lane shift for watermain works is moving east as works progress along SH29 (from 859 SH29) towards Gargan Road. More information.

• SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road: A reduced speed limit of 70km/h remains in place while crews are working behind the barriers on the construction of a flyover bridge and southbound slip lane works for the Takitimu North Link project. Traffic is anticipated to be diverted onto the flyover bridge and southbound slip lane in the next year while works continue. More information. 

• SH2/Fifteenth Ave: One lane at SH2/Fifteenth Ave near Edgecumbe Road is closed while the new connection to SH29/Takitimu Drive Toll Road takes place, this is likely to remain in place until mid-2026. More information.   

• SH2 Pahoia/Esdaile intersection: Road widening works are underway at this intersection. Vegetation clearance and tree felling continue this week with intermittent stop/stop and stop/go traffic management from 9am to 4pm weekdays which may cause delays.

• SH2 Apata Station Road: The intersection is currently operating as a roundabout with temporary speed limits in place until final surfacing works are completed in spring.

• SH2 Ōmokoroa Road intersection upgrade: Speed restrictions and intermittent stop/go traffic management is in place. A temporary single-lane roundabout is operational while road construction and service relocation works are underway in preparation for the new roundabout. Delays are expected, particularly during peak times. More information

• SH2 Youngson Road closure: The SH2 northbound lane (traffic travelling towards Katikati) has shifted to the centre of the road to create space for road widening. While this configuration is in place the Youngson Road intersection is now closed with no entry/exit to SH2. A detour is in place via Barrett Road and Old Highway Road. Work is expected to be complete in October.
• Wairoa Road: Road widening, drainage and pavements works will continue with traffic management in place.  This work is ongoing and will be in place until early in 2026.

• Minden Road North:  Current works include removing the bank on the western side of Minden Road and road widening. This phase of work will be completed mid-October and stop/go traffic management is in place between 7.30am and 6pm.
• SH2 Whakamārama, Te Puna: A programme of ground investigations is underway through to December, on key sites near Snodgrass, Ainsworth, Te Puna Quarry and Munro roads, and near Oturu and Te Puna streams. People travelling through this area may notice these activities alongside SH2, which are part of the Takitimu North Link Stage 2 project.

Rotorua 

Work starting this week: 

• SH33 near Ōkere Falls: Asphalt resurfacing starts Wednesday 8 October for 2 days between 8am and 5.30pm. There will be lane closures in place on SH33 including Maniatutu Road and Ōtaramarae Road. Stop/go traffic management will be in place along with speed restrictions. Stop/stop operations will be in place on Maniatutu Road and Ōtaramarae Road while plant and equipment are being moved. A delay of 30 minutes can be expected during this time.

Work starting soon: 

• SH30 Te Ngae Road-Wharenui Road in Rotorua: Skid resistant surfacing and line marking is planned for the intersection of SH30 Te Ngae Road and Wharenui Road over 3 nights, when overnight temperatures allow, from mid-October. Traffic management will include stop/go on SH30 Te Ngae Road, and Wharenui Road will be closed at the intersection.

Work underway: 

• SH30 Te Ngae Road-Wharenui Road:  A 40km/h speed limit is in place on SH30 Te Ngae Road approaching the Wharenui Road intersection and will remain in place until mid-October when skid resistant surfacing is laid in October-November (temperature dependent). The new signals and road layout are in place and Wharenui Road is open to vehicles. More information.

• SH5 Tārukenga: Between Barker Road and Maraeroa Road, road rebuild works are underway, 7am to 5pm weekdays, through to Thursday 16 October. Temporary traffic management includes stop/go and speed restrictions. Driver behaviour through this worksite is being monitored and will be reported to the police if workers are being put at risk due to dangerous driving.

• SH5/SH28 Harwoods Road: Construction of a roundabout at this intersection east of Tīrau is underway. Traffic is being managed through the site with speed restrictions. Traffic will be on the new roundabout in March 2026. More information

Eastern Bay of Plenty 

Work starting this week: 

• SH2 Rogers Road, Pukehina: A road rebuild starts Monday 6 October, the worksite is approximately 650 metres west of Rogers Road and continues on SH2 for 1.3 kilometres. Initial work includes vegetation clearing and minor earthworks, followed by the road rebuild process. It will take about 10 weeks, Monday to Saturday from 6am to 6pm, with stop/go traffic management in place throughout the works. Delays are to be expected. More information.

• SH2/Wainui Road, Matekerepu, near Ōpōtiki: Traffic management is changing at the roundabout site. From Monday 6 October through to Thursday 18 December, a 3-way stop/go traffic management system will be in place. During peak hours, 7.30am to 9am and 3.30pm to 5pm, stop/go will be controlled manually so traffic can be managed according to real traffic queues and to reduce disruption. Outside of peak hours, traffic will be controlled using automatic traffic lights. At times, there may be delays of up to 13 minutes. The roundabout is expected to be completed by April 2026. More information.

Work underway: 

• SH2 Matatā: Resurfacing work on SH2 and Mimiha Road has been delayed and will be completed one day during the week of Monday 6 October. Road users should expect stop/go traffic management between 7am and 6pm during this time. Delays to are to be expected.

• SH2 Waimana Gorge, southeast of Tāneatua: The road is down to one lane and under 24-hour stop/go traffic management with traffic lights due to the narrow nature of the site. A repair solution for the underslip has been confirmed, potential future road closures may be needed once repair works start. More information. 

• SH2 Waioweka Gorge: A shoulder closure remains in place in the Waioweka Gorge near Ōpōnae. Repair work is planned and expected to take approximately 4 months.

• SH35 Tōrere: Stop/go traffic management is in place for slip repairs underway near Te Kura O Tōrere east of Ōpōtiki. More information. 

Waikato     

Thames-Coromandel 

Work starting soon: 

• SH25 Thames Coast - closure: A deck replacement project at Boundary Creek Bridge, between Te Mata and Waikawau, will see the road closed for 7 days from Wednesday 29 October. Work to strengthen and repair the bridge supports and install a new deck will take about 10 weeks to complete and will begin on Monday 13 October 2025. The road will remain open to traffic during this time, except for the 7-day closure at the bridge starting at 5am on Wednesday 29 October. While SH25 is temporarily closed, access will be maintained to all businesses and properties along SH25 up to the bridge from north and south, but there will be no through traffic. The detour is via SH25A to Hikuai and continue north via Tairua and Whitianga. For those heading south from Coromandel Town, reverse the route. More information.

• SH25A Kōpū Hikuai Road - closure: Daytime closures are needed on SH25A for 2 weeks in November for a major road rebuild. The work will take place from Monday 10 November until approximately Friday 21 November, with the highway closed from 8am-5pm Monday-Saturday. The road will reopen under single lane and stop/go each evening from 5pm and on Sunday 16 November. Delays can be expected. Critical services such as first responders and school buses will be escorted through the site during the day. All other vehicles will be required to take the SH25 detour which adds an hour to the travel time. More information.

Work underway: 

• SH25A Hikuai: Work to replace a culvert on SH25A is underway until early November. The highway is reduced to a single lane with stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed restriction in place.

• SH25 Kūaotunu: Underslip repairs are underway and the state highway on Kūaotunu Hill is reduced to a single lane. While work is underway the road is expected to remain open with lane shifts, however some short-term closures may be needed. Traffic management and speed restrictions are in place.

• SH25 Manaia Hill: The road is reduced to a single lane with stop/go and temporary speed restrictions in place for underslip repairs. Completion expected late October.  

• SH5/SH28 Harwoods Road: Construction of a roundabout at this intersection east of Tīrau is underway. Traffic is being managed through the site with speed restrictions. Traffic will be using the new roundabout in March 2026. More information.

West Waikato

Work starting this week: 

• SH1C Te Rapa Expressway (Wairere Drive Interchange): the road will be closed for resurfacing and remedial works from Sunday 12 to Thursday 24 October, between 8pm and 5am each night. The closure includes two contingency nights.

Work starting soon: 

• SH1C Kahikatea Drive, Quentin Drive to Alison Street: Resurfacing works will begin on Sunday 19 October, running Sunday to Thursday nights between 8pm and 5am. This section is expected to take five nights to complete. Stop/go traffic management will be in place during work hours. The Alison Street intersection with SH1C will be closed to through traffic during works. Access to the laundromat, shops, and Z service station will remain via Kahikatea Drive. Exiting will be via Alison Street and local roads.

• SH1C Kahikatea Drive, Alison Street to Tawa Street: Resurfacing of this section will take place in November, with dates to be confirmed. Stop/go traffic management will be in place during work hours.
• SH39 Kakaramea Road: Shoulder and drainage works near Walsh Road have started, under stop/go traffic management. A full rebuild requires a detour for 2 weeks running 24/7 starting at 7am on Monday 13 October until 29 October. The detour route is SH23 and Tuhikaramea Road and adds about 8 minutes to travel times. Inter-regional traffic should consider using SH1 and SH3 to avoid the closure.

Work underway:

• SH1/SH29 Piarere Roundabout: Major construction works on the new 60-metre roundabout at Piarere are now complete. Minor finishing works, including surfacing and line marking, will continue during the summer sealing season. NZTA thanks motorists for their patience throughout the project. More information.

South Waikato 

Work starting this week: 

• Tīrau: Starting Wednesday 8 October SH1 will be closed overnight between Tīrau at the SH1/SH5 roundabout, to the SH1/SH28 intersection, for asphalt works. During the day SH1 is open under temporary speed limits. All traffic will be detoured from the roundabout on SH1 to SH5, SH28 and back to SH1. This adds approximately 4 mins and 4km to your journey between Tīrau and Putāruru.

Work starting soon: 

• SH5 east of Tīrau: Road widening between SH28-Whites Road and Waimakariri Road to allow for the installation of wide centre lines starts from 13 October and runs to 15 December. Traffic will be managed through the site under speed restriction with some stop/go required for site set up. More information
• Putāruru to Tokoroa: Starting Sunday 12 October to early November, expect overnight work using stop/go traffic management on sites between Putāruru and Tokoroa. Work is between 7pm and 6am, Sunday to Thursday nights. During the day there are temporary speed limits.

Work underway: 

• Tīrau: Overnight Road closures continue. SH1 is closed south of the Rose Street/Hillcrest Street intersection between 7pm and 6am Sunday to Thursday. During the day SH1 is open under temporary speed limits. Traffic is being detoured via SH27, Patetere Street, Okoroire Road, Hetherington Road, SH5 and back to SH1. This adds approx. 6 mins and 10km to your journey. This closure will finish when work shifts to the Tīrau roundabout on Wednesday 8 October, weather dependent.

• SH32 Whakamaru Dam: SH32 will be closed from Monday 13 October during the day between 8am and 7pm or up to 10 days to allow for crane operations and asset maintenance at the Whakamaru Dam bridge. Detours will be in place, with motorists advised to travel via SH1 through Taupō if heading south, or via Pīohipi Road if coming from SH30. These works are being delivered by Mercury NZ.

• SH1 Taupō to Tūrangi: Work continues at Waitahanui. Lane shifts and temporary speed limits are in place, please follow the traffic management and stick to the speed limits. Night work continues at Hatepe Hill using stop/go traffic management.  Work at Hatepe is Sunday to Thursday, please prepare for some delays. This work is subject to weather. 
• Taupō to Tūrangi - Kiko Road and Motuoapa:  Enabling work starts at the Kiko Road intersection mid-October and moves to the southern end of Motuoapa using daytime stop/go. Daytime work will be Monday to Sunday, between 7am and 6pm. In November this will move to overnight stop/go for road rebuilding. Overnight work will be Sunday to Thursday, between 7pm and 6am.  Outside of the working hours the road will be open under temporary speed restrictions.

• SH1/SH5 Taupō: A Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre is under construction at the SH1/SH5 roundabout. The in-road weigh-in-motion scales on the 5 roads heading towards the safety centre have been installed. Work on camera technology and electronic sign boards is progressing. Work in the lanes has largely finished, apart from an occasional lane closure for a day, but continues on the road shoulders. More information.
• SH5/SH28 Harwoods Road: Construction of a roundabout at this intersection east of Tīrau is underway. Traffic is being managed through the site with speed restrictions. Traffic will be on the new roundabout in March 2026. More information

North Waikato   

Work starting this week: 

• SH1 Nikau Road to Razorback Road: Southbound lane restrictions from Sunday 5 to Thursday 9 October between 9pm and 5am. The Nikau Road southbound on-ramp and Razorback Road southbound off-ramp will be closed. Please use the recommended detour: 
  • For Nikau Road southbound on-ramp please use alternative on-ramp at Beaver Road.
  • For Razorback Drive southbound off-ramp motorists are advised to detour via Pokeno interchange and follow the signs
• SH1 Mercer Interchange: Southbound off-ramp closed Sunday 5 to Thursday 9 October between 9pm and 5am. Motorists are advised to use the alternative off-ramp at Hampton Downs.
• SH1 Hampton Downs to Rangiriri Interchange: Full southbound closure on Thursday 9 October between 9pm and 5am. Motorists are advised to use the recommended detour via Whangamarino Road.
• SH1 Between Steen Road and SH25 roundabout:  Stop/go traffic management will be in place from Sunday 5 to Thursday 9 October between 9pm and 5am for maintenance.

Manawatū -Whanganui       

• SH4 Ōtoko: Work is underway to repair an underslip on SH4, near Ōtoko. Stop/go temporary traffic management is in place on weekdays 6am-6pm until Friday 10 October 2025 while crews work to reinstate the northbound lane. Delays of up to 15 minutes are expected. 

  Tairāwhiti Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay 

• SH5 Napier to Taupō: Recovery alliance Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) continues to progress safety improvements, as well as repair, recovery and maintenance activities at multiple sites on SH5 between Eskdale and Waipunga. More information. 

Taranaki 

• SH3 Mt Messenger:  Repairs to the underslip at SH3 Mt Messenger are underway, to reinstate the road to 2 lanes. Work began in August and is scheduled for completion by end of October, weather permitting. If conditions are unsuitable, work will be postponed to the next suitable day. Crews will be on site from 6am to 6pm each day, including weekends where possible. Stop/go traffic management is in place with delays of approximately 20 minutes.  

• SH3 Tongapōrutu: SH3 at Tongapōrutu remains under a 70km/h temporary speed limit due to an underslip damaging the northbound lane. We are working to determine a long-term repair for the area pending further geotechnical assessment, details to come once confirmed.    

The above information is accurate at the time of release. Many of the above works are dependent on a number of factors, particularly weather, and may be postponed at short notice. For up-to-date information on road works, traffic, detours and delays, motorists are encouraged to visit the NZTA Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz).

NZTA thanks motorists for their patience while we complete this essential work to keep the state highway network safe, accessible and resilient.

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