Construction has begun on the final stage of a major safety upgrade on State Highway 2.

Crews are now preparing land for two teardrop‑shaped roundabouts at the Ōhiwa Beach Rd and Waiōtahe Valley Back Rd intersections.

Once complete, the new roundabouts will provide safer, easier access for all motorists travelling along SH2 and approaching from the side roads.

Ongoing road maintenance

Roadworks may be postponed due to rain or other factors that disrupt the weekly schedule. Please be aware there may be other less disruptive state highway works not listed in this update. Check the NZTA Journey Planner for the latest travel information and journey times before starting your journey: journeys.nzta.govt.nz

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

Bay of Plenty

Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty SH29 Hamilton to Tauranga: Due to the number of worksites on SH29 between Hinuera and Tauriko, please allow up to 20 minutes’ extra time for travel.

Work starting next week

SH2 Hewletts Rd flyover: The SH2 Hewletts Rd flyover will be closed at night on Monday, February 16, for a scheduled bridge inspection between 11pm and 5am. There will be a detour via Hewletts Rd, Golf Rd roundabout and back on to SH2 Maunganui Rd.

Work starting soon

SH29 Kaimai Range closures: SH29 over the Kaimai Range will close overnight for five nights, from Sunday, February 22, to Thursday, February 26, between 8pm and 3.30am each night (reopening early Friday morning). These closures are necessary to continue urgent remedial work on the Ruahihi Bluffs, near the Ruahihi Power Station, and undertake key maintenance work at other sites along the corridor. The closure points on the western (Waikato) side are at the SH29/SH24 and SH29/SH28 intersections and on the eastern (BOP) side at the SH29/Redwood/Kaweroa Drive roundabout. The detours for this closure are significant and add considerable time to journeys.

SH36 Kennedy Rd to Pyes Pā roundabout: Resurfacing work on SH36 will take place over two days on Saturday, February 21, and Sunday, February 22, between 7am and 7pm each day. There will be stop/go traffic management, lane diversions and temporary speed limits in place. Delays are to be expected and people are advised to take alternative routes. Restrictions will remain in place while the work is finished to allow the chip to bed in, the road is swept and line marking is reinstated.

Work underway

SH29 Ōmanawa Bridge: Construction activity has begun close to the Hamilton-bound edge of SH29 between Ōmanawa Bridge and the Ōmanawa Rd intersection. For this work to be done safely, the Hamilton-bound shoulder (from the bridge to west of the intersection) and the left-turn slip lane into Ōmanawa Rd was closed on Monday, February 9. A temporary speed restriction of 50km/h will be introduced through this area. A lane shift will be implemented later in February, moving traffic further away from the closed shoulder area.

SH36 near Tect Park: Resurfacing work continues on SH36 Mangatoi near Tect Park until the end of February. There is stop/go traffic management, lane shifts, shoulder closures and temporary speed limits in place, between 6am and 6pm each day.

SH29 Tauriko: The slip lane from SH29 on to Takitimu Drive Toll Rd (at the SH29/SH36 roundabout) is currently closed to traffic daily during the week at off-peak hours, 9.30am to 3.30pm, for drainage works. These works are expected to take six weeks. Traffic can continue to access Tākitimu Drive Toll Rd via the roundabout.

SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Rd: 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 on to the flyover bridge and southbound slip lane in the next year while works continue.

SH2/15th Ave: One lane at SH2/15th Ave near Edgecumbe Rd is closed while the new connection to SH29/Takitimu Drive Toll Rd takes place, this is likely to remain in place until mid-2026. Traffic management will be in place when the beams arrive and are lifted into place.

SH29 Tauriko, Cambridge Rd to Tauriko village: Construction is continuing along the northern side of SH29 in Tauriko village with shoulder closures, lane shifts and mobile operations as required. Watermain upgrades continue along SH29 between Tauriko village and Gargan Rd, with temporary traffic management in place.

SH2/SH29 Takitimu Drive: SH29 and SH2 traffic is now diverted on to temporary lanes northbound to Mount Maunganui and the Tauranga CBD, and this diversion will last for four months. Traffic from SH29 to 15th Ave will be detoured via SH2 Takitimu Drive to Elizabeth St. SH2 traffic will still be able to travel to 15th Ave. The diversion is to allow construction of new lanes as part of the Takitimu North Link project. More information here.

SH2 Rogers Rd, Pukehina: Work has restarted on a road rebuild near Rogers Rd, between 6am and 6pm each night until mid-April. While this work is underway there will be stop/go traffic management, lane shifts, shoulder closures and a temporary speed limit in place. Journey planner location

SH2/Pahoia/Esdaile intersection: Road widening works are underway at this intersection. Please be aware that speed restrictions and intermittent stop/go traffic management will be in place, which may result in longer delays.

SH2 Esdaile Rd to Aongatete Rd: Please be aware that speed restrictions and intermittent stop/go traffic management will be in place for slip clearing works.

SH2 Ōmokoroa Rd intersection upgrade: Road construction continues for the new roundabout. Speed restrictions and intermittent stop/go traffic management will be in place. Minor delays are expected, particularly during peak times.

Minden Rd North: The road between the new roundabout and the Te Puna shops will be under various forms of traffic management from now until April as works continue to complete road widening, drainage and new pavement.

Rotorua

Work starting next week

SH5 near Waiotapu Loop Rd: A road rebuild will start on Monday, February 16, and is due to be completed in late March. Work will take place during the day between 7.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday. There will be stop/go traffic management in place with a temporary speed limit.

SH5 Old Taupō Rd: Asphalt resurfacing will take place from Sunday, February 15, to Thursday, February 19, between Sunset Rd and Pukuatua St in Rotorua from 8pm to 5.30am each night. Both southbound lanes will be closed, but traffic will be diverted on to one of the northbound lanes to travel south. There will be temporary traffic management in place and a reduced speed limit until the road has been line-marked.

Work underway

SH30A Amohau St: Essential repairs to SH30A Amohau St are underway using a sequence of overnight road closures. SH30A will be closed between Te Ngae Rd and Fenton St from 8pm to 5am, Sunday to Thursday (open Friday and Saturday nights). Crews will be setting up and disestablishing traffic management an hour either side of the closure times. During the day, the road will be open with a temporary speed limit. Work will start on the eastbound lanes of SH30A between Te Ngae Rd and Hinemaru St, before moving to the westbound lanes. Drivers should expect an uneven surface with ramps at each end of the worksite. The work is expected to take up to three months.

SH30 Collier Rd, Rotorua: A road rebuild is underway between Collier Rd and Apirana Rd, taking seven weeks to complete with a finish date of the end of February. Crews are working between 7am and 5pm each workday. There is stop/go traffic management along with a reduced speed limit. The surface may be uneven while work is ongoing.

SH5/SH28 Harwoods Rd: Daytime stop/go is in place weekdays 6am-6pm as work continues on the roundabout being built at this intersection east of Tīrau. For four nights next week, from Monday, February 16, there will be overnight stop/go for final pavement building. The roundabout will be completed in March.

Eastern Bay of Plenty

Work underway

SH2/Wainui Rd, Matekerepu, near Ōpōtiki: Work is still underway in the area and the roundabout is currently open to two-way traffic. There is still a temporary speed limit of 50km/h in place. The roundabout is expected to be fully completed by April 2026.

SH2/Ōhiwa Beach Rd/Waiōtahe Valley Back Rd intersections near Ōpōtiki: Works continue on the land either side of SH2 as construction of two new teardrop-shaped roundabouts has begun. SH2 has a shoulder closure and stop/go traffic management is in place from 7am to 6pm. The project is expected to be completed mid-2027.

SH35 Tōrere: Work to repair two slips at Tōrere is almost complete. A priority give way remains in place and stop/go traffic management will be used during the pavement works. Please allow for short delays when travelling through. Work is expected to be finished this month.

-NZTA