SH25/SH25A Thames-Coromandel

24 April 2026

Kereta Hill before and after: The image on the right was just before the temporary repair was line-marked and reopened.

Kereta Hill back to 2 lanes

State Highway 25 (SH25) at Kereta on the Thames Coast Road is now open to 2 lanes with a temporary speed limit in place.

The road was closed after subsidence at the site following Cyclone Vaianu. Contractors completed an excavation at the site late last week (16 April) and compacted it with rock and metal, before laying more asphalt to enable the road to be reopened.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Area Manager for Maintenance and Operations in the Waikato, Andy Oakley, says geotechnical experts have developed a long-term solution for the site which is currently undergoing review.

“We know closures like the one on SH25 at Kereta Hill have a real impact on local communities, freight, and all road users on the Coromandel Peninsula.

"Contractors have implemented a repair at the Kereta site to enable us to open it safely, ahead of us implementing the long-term solution.”

Once designs are confirmed the work is expected to take place at the site between mid-to late-June.

“We will continue to update the community on the timeframe for this work and the traffic management required to complete it, as we confirm the design,” Mr Oakley says.

Geotechnical staff, the maintenance contractor, and other personnel are continuing to regularly monitor the area.

“The team working in the area are ready to respond with urgency if there is any more issues at the site ahead of the more permanent works.”

They are also monitoring sites further north at Whangapoua Hill, between Coromandel town and Te Rerenga, and at Pumpkin Hill north of Tairua.

Pepe Stream Bridge repacement news...

The old Pepe Stream Bridge and footbridge will make way for a new 2-lane bridge, including a shared path on the seaward side and a footpath on the other side.

Bridge Community Liaison Group update

Community involvement in the Pepe Stream Bridge replacement is important to the success of the project and the Community Liaison Group (CLG), who represent key Tairua community groups, met for the second time earlier this week.

The group is made up of members from the Tairua Business Association, Residents and Ratepayers, Community Board, Thames-Coromandel District Council, Tairua School, Walk Tairua, River Trail, Environmental Society and Pepe Road residents, along with the contractor Fulton Hogan and NZTA.

CLG attendees are expected to report back to and bring forward any queries or issues from their memberships and communities.

The second meeting this week covered the project’s programme ahead and traffic management.The next 3 items below cover off Pepe progress.

Pepe Stage 1 - What will you see on the ground?

Consents are expected to be granted for the project at the end of this month and enabling work will start in May, with full construction getting underway in mid-July.

Stage 1 of the project involves the construction of a temporary footbridge to the side of the current bridge and the relocation of services in the area.

Walking and vehicle access will be maintained across the bridge for the duration of the project but we will require some overnight closures for bridge piling work. More details below.

Once the temporary footbridge and relocation of services is complete, the project will move into full construction in mid-July.

This will include the establishment of cranes on site, the demolition of the old footbridge and building of the new southbound lane.

Once the new lane is in place, stage 2 will see the old bridge demolished, and the new northbound lane will be constructed.

The project is expected to be completed in late 2027.

Pepe night closures ahead for May piling

Piling for the temporary footbridge requires the road bridge to be closed overnight for 2 work weeks in May. But the road will be open to traffic on the hour up until midnight, then every 2 hours.

The piling work will cause some noise and vibration over this 2-week period.

The dates are Tuesday 12 May to Thursday 14 May and Monday to Thursday 18-21 May. Work hours: 7pm-6am.

The SH25 bridge will open on the hour for 5 minutes at 8pm, 9pm, 10pm then 12 midnight, 2am and 4am. Timings are task-dependent so may be between 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after the hour. Emergency vehicle will have priority.

The project team thank you in advance for your patience and for any inconvenience this may cause.

Pepe: What’s happening at the Tairua Hall?

One of the challenges we face building the new Pepe Stream Bridge is working within the confined space. We’re hemmed in by the coastal estuary and cliffs and working in a built-up urban environment.

To get the job done with the least disruption, on time and safely, our contractors Fulton Hogan are using the community hall and car park for the construction base and “laydown” area for materials and machinery.

We acknowledge this is disruptive for users of the hall and we have worked with the Thames-Coromandel District Council and the Tairua Community Hall Society to enable its use.

Hall Society president Gary Healey told the Community Liaison Group meeting this week that all hall users have now been accommodated in alternative venues around Tairua ahead of the start of enabling works on Monday11 May.

The project team appreciate the flexibility and understanding that allows us to use this space which is critical to the project.

Using other venues across the area has provided economic benefits to those venues, and the project is making sure no group is out of pocket.

Info board goes up at Pepe site

As construction of the new bridge over Tairua’s Pepe Stream gets underway soon, passers-by can find out all the details on an information board in town, beside the walkway.

Pictured with a poster for the information board are NZTA project manager Eduardo Majorel, right, and Fulton Hogan project manager Dale McElhinney.

Other Coromandel news...

Ramarama next in line for replacement

We are working on removing another SH25 bottleneck by replacing the single-lane Ramarama Stream Bridge north of Whiritoa.

The project is part of a wider bridge programme to improve safety, efficiency and resilience on the state highway around the peninsula and follows completion of works at the Boundary Creek Bridge and on the Thames Coast north of Te Mata.

A new 2-lane bridge will be built at the Ramarama Bridge site, just to the east of the existing bridge – allowing the old one to continue taking traffic during construction.

Building further east also lessens the approach curves, improving the drive and increasing safety.

With land requirements completed, funding needs to be confirmed ahead of going to tender later this year.

Some of the completed repairs in the Karangahake Gorge.

Other works around the peninsula

Weather events in January, March and April have created much work for our contractors across the Coromandel state highway network.

Here’s a rundown on work sites and progress covering the state highways.

SH25 Pumpkin Hill: Half of the original 8 repair sites caused by heavy rain in January remain at Pumpkin Hill, north of Tairua. This work is being done via lane closures and stop/go traffic management, with the length of the site being progressively reduced. Work is expected to be complete by the end of May.

SH25 Kūaotunu Hill: This slip is another result of the January deluge. Designs to treat the slip are now complete. Due to the recent wet weather, contractors are now expecting to start this work at the end of April. The rebuild is expected to be complete by mid-June.

SH25 Thames Coast: Due to a road washout, stop/go traffic management is in place. Expect delays and follow the directions of crews on site.

SH2 Karangahake Gorge: The gorge took a battering in January with very high water flows, but of the 9 damage sites only 3 remain. These will be worked on using lane closures and stop/go traffic management during the day. Work is expected to be complete in May.

The gorge retaining wall protection work, requiring a day-time closure to provide protection from erosion at the base, has been delayed until suitable weather and river flows. This is now expected to happen in Spring.

More information

For more information on the SH25/SH25A Thames-Coromandel project, contact us at coromandelprojects@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website nzta.govt.nz/thames-coromandel