SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa safety improvements - construction update

The Waihī to Ōmokoroa safety improvements project is being constructed in 10 sections. This is to help limit the number of roadworks that people encounter along the 40km project. To understand where the project sites are, take a look at the project map.

Safety improvements along the first section, between Heath Road and Trig Road near Waihi, will be completed this month. As part of the annual maintenance programme parts of this section will be resurfaced. This work will happen sometime over the next 12 months.

For the remaining nine sections, we have two main active construction sites underway, one north and one south of Katikati.

Underground service location using radar

North of Katikati

Trig Road to Athenree Gorge (Sections 2 and 3)

The two sections, Trig Road to Mathers Road and Mathers Road to Athenree Gorge have been combined. Before work could start on the road, preliminary works took place to prepare the site:

• Underground services were located, such as water, electricity and fibre. The team used a radar to pinpoint where services were located. The service lines were then uncovered by hydrovac, which, as the name suggests, involves high pressure water and suction. This non-digging method reduces the risk of accidentally cutting into a service line during earthworks. Trees identified as either in the path of road widening or otherwise potentially hazardous to road users, were removed.
• The contractor also installed environmental controls to protect local waterways. Swales (otherwise known as ditches or drains) and settlement ponds, collect soil deposits from runoff during heavy rainfall. Silt fencing is another measure to control runoff. These environmental controls will be used on all sections of the project.

After the preliminary work was finished, the widening of the road got underway – starting at Trig Road heading south. This section is due for completion early 2021.

Kauri Point Road to Lindemann Road (Section 6)

• Preliminary work has started, such as identifying underground services, using the process outlined above. Information collected from this work is being used by the design team as they finalise the detailed design for construction.

SH2 tree removal

Work south of Katikati

Wharawhara Road to Sharp Road (Section 7)

• First, the underground services will be relocated along this section as they are along the roadside where it will be widened. The services will be relocated beyond Wharawhara Road, right up to Henry Road in Katikati. This is proving to be challenging as there are a number of services in the area and not all of them have been recorded.
• A number of large trees will be removed before work starts on the south bound lane.
• Construction is due for completion late 2020.

Forta Leza (Part of section 8)

As part of the annual maintenance programme, we're rebuilding the road near Forta Leza. While this work was underway, it made sense to complete the planned safety improvements at the same time. This work includes:

• Removing the old surface, adding gravel to strengthen the foundation and resurfacing.
• Road widening and putting in a wide centreline and side barriers.

To keep two lanes open to traffic, the work is being done one side of the road at a time. When work starts near the Waitekohe bridge we may need to go down to one lane for a short time due to lack of width.

This section of work is being constructed in two stages. During the winter, while it was too wet for road building, we relocated services and modified the drainage. Now the weather is warming up and it is drier, construction work has ramped back up and the plan is to have it all finished early next year.

Wainui South Road to Esdaile Road (Section 10)

• Preliminary work has started, such as identifying underground services, using the process outlined above. Information collected from this work is being used by the design team as they finalise the detailed design for construction.

A big thank you to the public and landowners

On a project of this size support from the community is important. Landowners along the route have been helpful in providing us information specific to their accesses, and providing sites for storage and disposal of fill, parking and water.

As we continue with construction, we’re going to need more sites for fill, machinery parking and access to water. If you have a site that the contractor could use, please contact HEB’s Customer Engagement Manager, Kevin McGrath, on 0800 080 297 or kevin.mcgrath@heb.co.nz

Fill sites
Fill material from roadside widening does need to be disposed and our contractor is looking for sites close to the road. Please be aware when offering fill sites that Resource Consents and environmental care need to be considered.

Off road parking for construction machinery
At times, plant and machinery need somewhere to get off the road overnight, for safety and security reasons, so the contractor is looking for areas to park and store these temporarily.

Water
During the summer months there is the potential for construction activity to create dust. The contractor will need water for the water truck, used to suppress the dust. Bore water would be preferable to using town supply.

Landowner thank you
We have met with many landowners during the year to discuss property access and what’s going to be happening outside their home. Thank you for taking the time to visit us at our drop-in sessions. Landowner discussions will continue next year, however, if you have any questions about your property, please get in touch with Justin Rae, our Community Engagement Manager, on 021 390 732 or email justin.rae@nzta.govt.co.nz

During construction, some landowners have experienced more disruption than others. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their patience and understanding.

SH1 Dome Valley steel barriers

Keeping our road workers safe

The Transport Agency and HEB have a big challenge - delivering a complex project while accommodating high traffic volumes and keeping road workers safe.

To keep the team safe, a lower temporary speed limit will be in place and, where possible, temporary barriers will be installed alongside live traffic lanes where the roading crews are working. In the past, crew worked one metre behind a line of orange cones where vehicles were travelling 100km/h.

This new approach aligns with the Health and Safety at Work Act which requires all reasonable and practical steps are taken to protect our workers and the public.

On the ground, the team will feel safer at work and they don’t have to wait for cones to be set up each day or finish early to pack up the site which will also please road users.

Cyclists

Cyclists can be particularly affected during work on the state highway. We’d like to work with cyclists to maximise safety and look at opportunities for improvement. Cyclists or cycling groups are encouraged to get in touch with HEB’s Customer Engagement Manager Kevin on 0800 080 297 or kevin.mcgrath@heb.co.nz

If you're a cyclist and need to bike through one of our active work sites, we encourage you to contact the traffic control staff on site (they’re usually wearing a yellow high vis vest). They can escort you safely through the site, keeping you out of the live traffic lane. It’s important that you are safe, so please don’t make your own way through a work site unescorted.

Understanding wide centre lines

There is no simple solution to keeping you safe on our roads and everyone needs to do their bit. 

One of the safety measures being put in to make SH2 between Waihī and Ōmokoroa safer is a wide centreline.

The new road markings will be two painted lines in the middle of the road, approximately 1.5m apart, to provide greater separation between opposing lanes of traffic. By separating traffic this way it's proven to reduce serious crashes by up to 20 percent*.

The lines are painted as a dashed white line on sections of the road where passing is permitted, and a solid yellow line in no passing areas. The standard dashed yellow marking is to warn drivers of a no-passing area ahead.

*High Risk Rural Roads Guide, published September 2011, NZ Transport Agency. First edition.

More information

SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa

For more information on the safety improvements project, you can visit nzta.govt.nz/w2o, read our frequently asked questions or, if you have any questions, please get in touch with Justin Rae, our Community Engagement Manager, on 021 390 732 or email justin.rae@nzta.govt.nz

SH2 Katikati to Tauranga speed review

Formal consultation for proposed speed limit changes along SH2 between Katikati and Tauranga closed in November 2019.

The submissions for this consultation are currently being analysed. We expect to be able to announce an outcome in the coming months, which will be published on our website and we will also notify the community via newspaper and email.

We thank everyone who provided a submission. For more information about this programme of work, visit Safe Network Programme’s speed management or SH2 Katikati to Tauranga speed review.​

SH2 Katikati temporary traffic management trial

On Friday 22 and Sunday 24 November, the Transport Agency undertook a trial to test a potential method for reducing delays experienced on SH2, through Katikati, during the busiest days of the Christmas/summer holiday period.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to pass on their feedback.

If you have any questions regarding the trial please email katikati.trial@nzta.govt.nz