Canterbury state highway planned roadworks

Tuesday 24 February to Monday 2 March

23 February 2026

Kia ora

Welcome to the latest Canterbury state highway planned roadworks update.

While SH75 Akaroa Highway was closed due to last week’s flooding, we’re pleased to report that no significant damage occurred. You can expect to see our crews out and about over the coming week as they tidy up and get the highway back to normal.

As we head into the end of the chipsealing season, the changing weather begins to have a bigger impact on when and where we can work. Over the coming weeks, our crews will be moving around the network to make the most of suitable weather windows and complete the remaining programmed sites.

For updates and real time travel information check Journey Planner before you travel

Information current as at 2.30pm 23 February.

SH1 Christchurch to Picton

SH1 Waikuku: Night works for chip sealing will take place on 23 and 24 February from 8pm to 5am. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 20 minutes expected.

SH1 Ashley River Bridge to Bells Lane: 25 February SH1 CLOSED 9pm to 6am with local road detours in place. The road will reopen at midnight for overweight and over-dimension vehicles for 30 minutes or until traffic is cleared

SH1 south of Amberley: Night works 8pm-5am for chip sealing will take place on 22 February. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 20 minutes expected.

SH1 Hapuku: A road rebuild is underway between Factory Road and Skevingtons Road until 31 March. Work will take place on weekdays from 6am to 6pm, with some weekends as needed to keep the project moving. Stop/Go traffic management will be controlled manually and by temporary traffic lights, with delays of up to 15 minutes.

SH1 Peketa: Seawall repairs will now continue until 28 February, from 6am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with delays of up to 15 minutes expected. Twice a day, the road will be held in both directions for up to 20 minutes so an excavator can be lowered or raised below the road during low tide. 

SH1 Waipara at Church Road: Road rebuild day works will continue until 27 February, Monday to Friday, between 6am and 6pm. A lane will be closed under Stop/Go traffic management with a temporary speed limit in place.

SH1 Picton Elevation: Resurfacing work will be carried out on the Picton side of the Elevation (south of Angle Street) on Wednesday 25 February from 7am to 6pm. Stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place. Expect delays of up to 10 minutes.

SH1 north of Spring Creek: Work is underway to rebuild a one kilometre section of highway with construction due to be completed by the end of March. Both lanes reopened 20 February, but a 30km/h reduced temporary speed limit  remains in place until this project is complete.

SH1 Christchurch to Dunedin

SH1 Rolleston at the intersection with Dunns Crossing Road: Entry to Dunns Crossing Road from SH1 remains closed until the end of February.

SH1 Archibald St near Carters Tce, Tinwald: Night works will take place from 22 February to 5 March, Sunday to Thursday nights, between 7pm and 5am. Stop/Go traffic management and a 30km/h speed limit will apply, with delays of up to 15 minutes. The site may be unattended at times, with uneven surfaces and temporary speed restrictions remaining.

SH1 South of Ashburton at the Longbeach Rd Intersection: Road reconstruction continues until 18 March. From 24 February to 11 March, the site will operate as a single lane. Daytime works from 7am to 6pm will detour northbound traffic via Winslow Westerfield Rd and Maronan Rd, while southbound traffic stays on SH1. Night works from 6pm to 7am will use temporary traffic lights for both directions. Weekends will have two lanes open under speed restrictions. Delays of up to 15 minutes are expected. (See detour map below)

SH1 Timaru, between Grants Road and MacDonald Street:  24 February for about three weeks. Work will run weekdays between 7am and 7pm  A 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place, using the same traffic management as the current culvert replacement project with some additional signage. Expect congestion on SH1 and disruption to nearby side streets.

SH1 Makikihi to Morven: Road repairs continue until 27 February, between 8am and 5pm. Stop/Go traffic management and a 30km/h speed limit are in place, with delays of up to 10 minutes. The site may be unattended at times, and temporary speed restrictions will remain.

SH1 Oamaru Hilderthorpe Pukeuri Road: General road maintenance will take place from 13 to 27 February between 6am and 7pm. Expect delays of about 5 minutes.

SH1 Kakaho Creek: Road rebuild work continues on weekdays until 1 March between 6am and 7pm. Stop/Go traffic management and temporary speed limits are in place, with delays of up to 10 minutes expected.

SH1 Bushey: Highway road rebuild work will take place from 23 to 27 February on weekdays between 6am and 7pm. Expect delays of about 5 minutes.

SH1 Mill Road Waikouaiti: Road sealing will take place from 23 to 27 February between 6am and 7pm. Expect delays of about 5 minutes.

SH1 South of Ashburton at the Longbeach Rd Intersection

24 February to 11 March, the site will operate as a single lane. Daytime works from 7am to 6pm will detour northbound traffic via Winslow Westerfield Rd and Maronan Rd, while southbound traffic stays on SH1.

Northbound only detour

Key state highways across the Canterbury Region

SH73 Jowers Road West Melton: Night works for resurfacing will take place on 2 and 3 March from 6pm to 6am. Access into and out of Jowers Road at the state highway will be closed during this time. A detour to Jowers Road will be available via Curraghs Road.

SH75 Halswell Road, between Dunbars Road and Curletts Road: Work continues on the improvements project, particularly between Augustine Drive/Monsaraz Boulevard and Curletts Road. Please follow signage and the 30 km/h speed limit through the work area.

SH75 Halswell Road: Night works for resurfacing will take place on 1 and 2 March from 6pm to 6am over 600 metres, from just south of Nicolls Road to before the Sparks Road/Halswell Junction Road intersection. Local road detours will be in place, adding up to five minutes to journey times.

SH79 Rangitata to Geraldine: Pavement and surfacing repairs will take place from 16 to 27 February, between 8am and 5pm. Stop/Go traffic management and a 30km/h speed limit will apply, with delays of up to 10 minutes. The site may be unattended at times, and temporary speed restrictions will remain.

SH79 Kakahu: Road reconstruction continues from Hall Road to Howe Road until 31 March. Temporary traffic lights will manage traffic with a 30 km/h speed limit in place, including when the site is unattended. Expect delays of up to 15 minutes.

SH8 Burkes Pass to Tekapo: Chip sealing is taking place at multiple sites from 16 to 27 February. Stop/go and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place, delays of up to 20 minutes at peak times are expected. This work is weather dependent and may be rescheduled at short notice.

SH82 Hakataramea Highway (Waimate to Ikawai): Pavement and surfacing repairs will continue until 27 February. The sites will operate under daytime stop/go with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit. This work is weather dependent and may be rescheduled at short notice. Some sites may be unattended, with temporary speed limits in place. Expect delays of up to 10 minutes.

SH82 Waihao North River Bridge: Work to replace the bridge is underway. Crews have installed a temporary bridge next to the Waihao North River Bridge. The existing bridge is now reduced to one lane and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit is in place.

SH82 Elephant Hill Stream Bridge: This bridge is being replaced. A temporary bridge has been installed at this site and a 30km/h speed limit will be in place.

More information

Please be aware that there may be other less disruptive state highway works not listed in this newsletter. Work is often weather dependant and can be postponed and rescheduled.

Check for traffic updates on Journey Planner

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

Visit our Canterbury State Highway Maintenance website 

For information on West Coast and Alpine Passes state highway maintenance, visit our website where you can sign up for the West Coast and Alpine Passes newsletter