Waikato state highway maintenance programme

Saturday 20 December to Friday 26 December 2025

19 December 2025

Holiday break for crews, smoother travel for you

Ever heard of the term ‘moratorium’? Officially it’s a temporary suspension or delay of an activity, obligation, or law.

Here at NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), we use it as a formal pause of road working activity to give everyone unobstructed travel over holiday period. There may be some temporary traffic management on the road to keep worksites safe over the Christmas break. It’s also a good chance for our hard-working crews to have some well-earned downtime.

The Christmas moratorium starts at midday Friday 19 December 2025 and ends at midnight Sunday 4 January 2026.

Thank you all for your patience over this season, make the most of the moratorium, enjoy the holiday period, drive safely and we will see you back in 2026!

Booze maths doesn't add up

The festive season and long summer days have arrived, along with a new drink driving campaign to remind us all to celebrate and socialise safely.

A collaboration between NZTA and NZ Police, the new campaign targets 18-39-years old males and shines a light on the unreliable ‘booze maths’ they might do to justify driving after they’ve started drinking.

The campaign promotes getting a sober ride home and reminds the audience that you might go through a NZ Police checkpoint on your way home.

The advertising will be on a range of broadcast and online channels and in drinking environments like bars and sports clubs.

You can watch the new ad here.

Holiday hustle: SH2 Passing lanes on vacation

As the summer break is fast approaching, NZTA reminds everyone to plan ahead for safe, enjoyable trips using our real time summer holidays journey planner. It’s as important as ever to drive to the conditions, allow extra time and take regular breaks to stay alert. 

Like previous years, the passing lanes on State Highway 2 (SH2), between Pōkeno and the State Highway 25 (SH25) Mangatarata roundabout, will be closed during peak times to ensure smoother traffic flows. The eastbound passing lanes will be closed on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 December between 6am and 8pm. Westbound lanes will be closed on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 January between 6am and 8pm.

Queues might be a little longer when the passing lanes are closed, but there will be minimal impact on your journey time.

State highway maintenance and renewals update

State highways with scheduled works starting in the New Year:

• SH3/30 Te Kūiti
• SH3 Rukuhia to Te Awamutu
• SH31 Kāwhia Road

Roadworks may be postponed due to rain or other factors that disrupt the weekly schedule.

Please be aware that there may be other less disruptive state highway works not listed in this newsletter.

Check the NZTA Journey Planner for the latest travel information and journey times before starting your journey: journeys.nzta.govt.nz

Thames - Coromandel

State Highway 25 and State Highway 25A, road works and potential impacts to journeys.

Work underway

SH25 Whangamatā: Deck repairs to the SH25 Moana Anu Anu Bridge on the outskirts of Whangamatā are wrapping up, and the road will reopen on Sunday 21 December, with a temporary speed limit until minor finishing works are completed. The deck on the bridge (also known as the Wentworth Bridge) needed to be replaced, but the project timeline was pushed out when it was found 3 corroded beams needed to be replaced. The road has been closed to traffic since 29 October. While the detour around the site is only short, NZTA thanks people for their patience.

West Waikato

Work starting soon

SH1/SH29 Piarere intersection: Work to install streetlight ducting continues with shoulder closures and a reduced speed limit of 60km/h in place on all approaches to the Piarere roundabout. From Monday 12 January (7am – 6pm) there will be a lane shift and reduced speed limit of 30km/h in place for 2 weeks, while the team carries out shoulder widening works on the Hamilton-bound lane of SH1. Resident access will be maintained with left in/left out turning movements permitted to and from Karāpiro Heights. Minor delays are expected. More information

SH3/30 Te Kūiti: Road resurfacing on SH3 Carroll Street, Awakino Road and SH30 Waitete Road in Te Kūiti starts Sunday 18 January. This work will be completed 7 nights a week, between 8pm and 6am, and expected to take 2.5 weeks to complete. To enable the work to take place efficiently and safely, there will be stop/go traffic management between Duke Street and SH30 Awakino Road. SH30 Awakino Road will be closed between Carroll Street and Rora Street. Light vehicles will be detoured via Awakino Road, Taupiri Street, Alexandra Street, Rora Street to rejoin SH3. Heavy vehicles, HPMVs and over-dimension vehicles will detour via Lawrence Street, Te Kūiti Road, ANZAC Street, Jennings Street, Esplanade, Tammadge Street, Sommerville Road and Te Kumi Station. Stop/go traffic management will be in place on SH30 Waitete Road and SH3 Awakino Road and Carroll Street.

SH3 Rukuhia to Te Awamutu: Chipsealing between Rukuhia and Te Awamutu will begin on Sunday 18 January. The site has been divided into 8 sections, with work on the first 4 sections starting Monday 19 January. This stage is expected to take approximately 1 week to complete. Crews will then return on Sunday 8 February to complete the remaining 4 sections. Work will take place Sunday to Thursday, both during the day and at night. Stop/go traffic management will be in place while the work is ongoing, followed by aftercare on the worksite which will include rolling, sweeping, and line marking.

SH31 Kāwhia Road: A road rebuild will begin in late January near Te Rauamoa Road. The work will be done in 2 phases, shoulder and drainage work followed by the road rebuild, the work is expected to take 6 weeks to complete. Stop/go traffic management will be in place 24/7 with a temporary speed limit while the work is ongoing.

Work underway

SH31 Kāwhia Road: Slip repairs are currently underway on SH31 Kāwhia Road. Drivers should expect short sections of stop/go traffic management, and temporary speed restrictions while crews complete the repairs. The first underslip near Hikurangi Road is reduced to a single lane and controlled by traffic lights. These will remain in place until approximately 19 December. Traffic management will continue at other slip sites until repairs are completed, which is currently expected mid-2026. During this time, motorists may encounter stop/go operations, temporary speed limits, and short delays. 

East Waikato

SH29 Hamilton to Tauranga: Due to the number of worksites on SH29 between lower Kaimai Range and Tauriko, please allow up to 20 minutes extra time for travel. Check the NZTA Journey Planner for the latest travel information and journey times before starting your journey: journeys.nzta.govt.nz

South Waikato

Work starting soon

SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance project: That’s us done for the first part of season 2 of the Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance project. Since we kicked back off in September, the project has made amazing progress. We are now approximately 70% complete across SH1 between Piarere in the north and Waiouru in the south. Over the last 3 months, we’ve laid approximately 30,000 tonnes of asphalt stretching 22.3 lane kilometers !

The work doesn’t end here though, and 2026 will be a busy one. Here’s a snapshot of the work we’ve got coming up in early January.

SH1 Desert Road: From Wednesday 7 January, for around 2 weeks, night works are scheduled to take place in 2 locations on SH1 at Potu and Puketarata Hill which are north and south of the SH1/SH46 intersection (weather dependent). We will be working on the road between 7pm and 6am, Sunday to Thursday nights under stop/go traffic management. Outside of the working hours, the road will be open under temporary speed restrictions through the work zone. Of course, the weather might mean we need to be a bit flexible with the schedule. During this time, there will be delays on SH1. Delays will vary depending on the work being carried out. Please allow extra time to your journey.

SH1 Waiouru: There will be stop/go traffic management from Monday 5 to late January for road rebuilding from 6am to 6pm Monday to Sunday. The contractor will not be working over Wellington Anniversary weekend, but traffic management will be in place.

SH1 Ātiamuri to Wairākei: Overnight stop/go from Sunday 11 January until mid-January. We’ll be working on the road Sunday to Thursday nights, 7pm and 6am, under stop/go traffic management. Outside of these working hours, the road will be open, with temporary speed restrictions throughout the work zone. Tuesday 13 January will require a closure of the SH1/Palmer Mill Road turn-off for one night, to complete work directly at the entrance of Palmer Mill Road. Residents will need to enter and exit via SH5 on this night.

SH1 Tīrau to Putāruru: There will be overnight stop/go from early January to early February to undertake a road rehabilitation at the intersection of SH1/Whites Road. More information to come.

SH1 Raketapauma (Waiouru South): A road rebuild will start on Monday 5 January and continue until the end of January. There will be stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit in place during the day. Some stop/go may be required overnight.

SH32 Between Tokoroa and Whakamaru: A road rebuild will start in the New Year with stop/go traffic management in place during the day.

SH49 West of Waiouru: A road rebuild will in the New Year with stop/go traffic management in place during the day.

Work underway

SH5/SH28 Harwoods Road: Construction of a roundabout at this intersection east of Tīrau is well underway. The closure of SH28-Harwoods Road has now ended. Over the holidays a temporary roundabout will be in place along with speed restrictions. When work resumes Monday 5 January there will be stop/go traffic management on SH5. Traffic will be on the new roundabout in March 2026. More information

North Waikato

Work starting soon

SH2 Mangatarata: Maintenance work will take place between Steen Road and the SH25 Mangatarata roundabout on Thursday 8 January between 9pm and 5am, there will be stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit in place.

SH2 Mangatāwhiri: Maintenance work will take place between Wyatt Road and Kopuku Road on Thursday 8 January between 9pm and 5am, there will be stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit in place.

Waikato summer renewals map

The map below indicates worksites which may inpact your journeys this summer maintenance season.

More information

For more information on the Waikato state highway maintenance programme, contact us at waikatomaintenance@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/waikato-maintenance

View our state highway maintenance frequently asked questions.

For information about what’s happening with other infrastructure projects across the region please visit Waikato projects website