Motorists travelling on State Highway 29 between Cambridge Rd and the base of the Kaimai Range can expect overnight closures and travel disruptions.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has started an extensive maintenance programme focused on improving road safety and driving conditions.

This work will be carried out alongside ongoing project work.

Overnight closures would take place from SH29 Cambridge Rd to the base of the Kaimai Range (Waikato side), beginning on Sunday October 12 and running for five nights.

A major road rebuild would continue near Valley View Rd (Bay of Plenty side) on SH29 until early 2026.

Multiple active worksites near Redwood Lane would progress on the Tauriko enabling works project.

NZTA said these improvements aimed to deliver smoother, safer journeys and maintain SH29’s reliability for freight, commuters and holidaymakers.

Delays should be expected and alternate routes should be considered where possible.

NZTA advised slowing down near worksites and reducing speeds to help keep road crews safe.

The work schedules were weather-dependent and the dates were subject to change.

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

NZTA advised being aware that there could be other, less disruptive state highway works that are not listed here.

SH29 Kamai Range would close for five nights from Sunday 12 to Thursday 1, October, between 7.30pm and 3.00am each night, reopening early Friday morning.

These closures were necessary to complete routine maintenance, including clearing drains, sign maintenance, road marking and surface repairs.

The closures pointed on the western (Waikato) side are at the SH29/24 and SH29/28 intersections, and on the eastern (Bay of Plenty) side at the SH29/Cambridge Rd intersection.

On Monday October 13 and Tuesday October 14 between 9am and 4pm, specialist contractors would work on the southern side of SH29 between the SH29/SH36 roundabout and Cambridge Rd to carry out work on the underground power cables.

Traffic management will include a lane shift and a reduced speed limit.

Two new signalised intersections on Taurikura Drive, outside the main Tauranga Crossing entry and at the shopping centre’s lower carpark entry, would be operational on Monday October 13.

Most traffic management would be removed from Taurikura Drive and the SH36 roundabout overnight on Sunday October 12.

To safely construct the bridge deck and barriers, a full overnight closure of SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road was required on Thursday October 16 between 8pm and 5am.

While the road was closed, traffic would be diverted via Te Puke Highway each night in both directions.

Further partial closures planned in October included Wednesday October 22, for eastbound lanes only, and Thursday October 23, for westbound lanes only.

Night works were planned Sunday October 19 from 7pm to 5am Monday October 19 in order to install guardrails on the SH29 eastbound lane (towards Tauranga), between Belk Rd and the SH29/Redwood Lane roundabout.

A three-way stop/go and reduced speed limit would be in place.

People were encouraged to be patient and drive carefully through the site.

Traffic management through the site included shoulder closures, lane shifts, mobile operations and reduced speed limits.

Multiple active work sites were under way along SH29 in Tauriko Village and on Cambridge Rd.

Temporary traffic management in place as needed, including reduced speed limits (50km/h), mobile operations, shoulder closures and lane shifts, are in place as required.

Currently, a lane shift and 50km/h speed limit are in place on SH29 between Gargan Rd and Redwood Lane for water main works.

On Saturday October 18 between 9am and 3pm, work to install power cables would take place on the shoulder of the westbound lane (towards Hamilton), opposite the SH29/Cambridge Rd intersection.

This would involve a lane shift, shoulder closure, and reduced speed limit.

The right-turn bay from Cambridge Rd on to SH29 will be closed; Hamilton-bound traffic should use the SH29/SH36 roundabout to change direction.

Further underground cable works will continue from Monday October 20 to Wednesday October 22, between 9am and 4pm, with similar traffic management in place.

Road resurfacing would start soon for five nights, between 7pm and 5am, near Ainsworth Rd.

There would be stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit in place while the work was under way.

During the day, there would be an uneven surface with a reduced speed limit of 50km/h.

A road rebuild of SH2 would start on Monday October 6 and would continue for about 10 weeks, from 6am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, with stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit throughout the works.

The site was approximately 650m west of Rogers Rd and continued on SH2 for 1.3km.

A 1.5km section of SH29 near Valley View Rd was undergoing a full rebuild, with temporary traffic management and reduced speed limits in place until early 2026.

The passing lane near Valley View Rd would remain closed for the duration of the works.

Work was scheduled from Monday to Friday, with traffic management set up by 7am.

Between 8am and 5pm, a contra-flow system would be in place, allowing traffic in both directions.

Overnight, from 7pm to 6am Sunday to Thursday, contraflow would be removed and traffic would operate under a stop/go system.

Weekends would see both lanes open and no work scheduled.

Due to the project’s scale and duration, delays were expected.

A reduced speed limit of 70km/h remained in place while crews were working behind the barriers on the construction of a flyover bridge and southbound slip lane works for the Takitimu North Link project.

Traffic was anticipated to be diverted on to the flyover bridge and southbound slip lane in the next year while works continued.

One lane at SH2/Fifteenth Ave near Edgecumbe Rd was closed while the new connection to SH29/Takitimu Drive Toll Road took place; this was likely to remain in place until mid-2026.

Road widening works were under way at the intersection, with speed restrictions in place.

Vegetation clearance and tree felling were carried out during the week, with intermittent stop/stop and stop/go traffic management between 9am and 4pm on weekdays, which may have caused delays.

Temporary speed limits were in place at the roundabout until final surfacing works were completed in the spring.

Road construction and service relocation works were progressing in preparation for the opening of the new roundabout.

A temporary single-lane roundabout was operational at the intersection, with speed restrictions and intermittent stop/go traffic management in place, likely causing delays during peak times.

The SH2 northbound lane (towards Katikati) was shifted to the centre of the road to allow for widening, resulting in the closure of the Youngson Rd intersection with no entry or exit to SH2.

A detour was established via Barrett Rd and Old Highway Rd, with completion expected in October.

Around the Wairoa Rd overbridge, stop/go traffic management was in effect on weekdays between 7.30am and 6pm for drainage installation.

A 24-hour stop/go system was implemented while tie-in works at the southern end of the bridge were completed, with the project due to finish by mid-November.

On Minden Rd North, crews were removing the bank on the western side and widening the road.

This phase of work was scheduled for completion by mid-October, with stop/go traffic management in place during daytime hours.

A programme of ground investigations was under way from December at key sites near Snodgrass, Ainsworth, Te Puna Quarry and Munro roads, as well as near the Ōtūru Stream and the Te Puna Stream.

These activities were part of the Takitimu North Link Stage 2 project and were visible to motorists travelling along SH2.