Safety improvement works along State Highway 29 will continue next month as contractors work to install road side barriers in high-risk locations.

The works are designed to further enhance improvements made last year to the road surface and signage along the highway.

State Highway 29 at Tauriko was identified as an area high-risk for crashes as part of last year's safety works.

NZ Transport Agency highways manager Brett Gliddon says SH29 is recognised as a key transport route.

'It's one of the busiest highways in the Bay and it's known to have a high risk of crashes.

'In 2013, works were carried out to improve the surface and signage on SH29; making the surface more skid resistant, putting in clearer pavement markings, and improving the traffic warning signs.”

Read more here about last year's works. Brett says the focus this year is to make further safety improvements such as side barrier protection along high-risk sections of the highway between Ruahihi Road and the summit of the Kaimais.

He says side barriers, such as guard rail and wire rope, will help reduce the severity any crashes along this section of the highway.

The cost of the works is estimated to be $2 million with the work starting on February 3 and expected to be completed at the end of June.