SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki

Project update

9 April 2025

The intersection of State Highway 2 and Wainui Road, Matekerepu

A new roundabout is on the way

Minister for Transport Chris Bishop announced a new roundabout is coming soon to the intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road, making it safer and more efficient for vehicles and freight. Improvements to this intersection will be welcomed by the community, as safety has been a concern for many. You can read the media release here.

Enabling works have been completed in the last month around the intersection. The construction of the Matekerepu roundabout is expected to begin in late April/early May and will take approximately 12 months to complete. You may start to see some activity at the site as it is prepared for work, such as vegetation clearing.

CAMEX (Cambridge Excavators) has been confirmed as the contractor for this work and updates will be shared with the community about traffic management once the construction programme has been confirmed.

Road resealing taking place near Appleton Road

SH2 safety improvements already completed

We’ve made several safety improvements on the road since 2021 between Wainui Road and Ōpōtiki, which have made the area safer for the community and travellers. These included:

• Widening the road shoulder and installing roadside barriers at high-risk locations between the SH2 Wainui Road and SH2 Ōhiwa Beach Road intersection.

• Laying new chipseal and clear line-marking along the road since the end of 2023.

• Widening the road shoulder and installing new roadside barriers at high-risk locations between Waiōtahe Valley Back Road and Woodlands Road.

Te Ūpokorehe blessing at SH2/Wainui Road intersection, Matekerepu, marking the start of construction

A blessing of the roundabout site

A blessing to mark the start of construction, led by local iwi Te Ūpokorehe, was held at the intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road on Monday 24 March.

The blessing was followed by kai at nearby Roimata Marae and included waiata from local Kutarere and Waimana tamariki. After the formalities, project team members gave a presentation about the upcoming works to members of Te Ūpokorehe, local stakeholders and neighbours of the project.

Stay safe

Please drive carefully through our work site. The temporary speed limits and traffic management are there to keep you and our crews safe while we continue making the journey on SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki safer for everyone.

We’re looking forward to getting this roundabout started and will be sure to keep the community updated when construction begins.

More information

For more information on the SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki project, visit our website nzta.govt.nz/sh2-wainui-road-to-opotiki

If you have any questions, please contact us at bopprojects@nzta.govt.nz