Te Pae o Tararua: Ōtaki to north of Levin update

5 February 2026

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), Muaūpoko Tribal Authority, local hapū of Ngāti Raukawa te au ki te Tonga, council partner Horowhenua District Council (HDC) and alliance partners are working together to create a positive legacy for the region while we build a new, safer, efficient, and more reliable State Highway 1 (SH1) from Ōtaki to north of Levin.

New name for Ō2NL project

The Ōtaki to north of Levin project has a new name, gifted by project iwi partners Muaūpoko and Ngāti Raukawa te au ki te Tonga. 

The gifted name is Te Pae o Tararua, which speaks to the horizon and the enduring Tararua Ranges, a powerful symbol of strength and resilience that sustains the region. 

The new name will be added to our current one, creating a new full name for the expressway project - Te Pae o Tararua: Ōtaki to north of Levin. 

NZTA and alliance partners wish to acknowledge and thank Muaūpoko, and Ngāti Raukawa te au ki te Tonga for the ingoa (name) and are proud to carry the name through the construction of the expressway. 

First concrete pour at the site of the new overbridge crossing the NIMT rail line.

Major milestone reached with first permanent concrete pour

A significant milestone has been achieved on the Te Pae o Tararua project, with the first permanent works now complete following the project’s first structural concrete pour.

The pour took place at the site of the new overbridge crossing the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) rail line. This initial pour formed the levelling pad for the abutment mechanically stabilised earth (MSE) wall, marking the first major step in construction of the structure.

When complete, the 25‑metre‑long, single‑span overbridge will carry two lanes of State Highway 1 traffic, and a shared use path, over the rail corridor. The bridge is supported by MSE retaining wall abutments rather than piles, a design well suited to the ground and seismic conditions and overall construction approach for this location.

In total, construction of the bridge will require around 1,000 cubic metres of concrete and approximately 500 tonnes of reinforcing steel. It’s the northern‑most structure on the project, which includes 11 structures overall.

The NIMT overbridge remains on track for completion by October 2026 and represents an important early achievement as visible progress continues across the project.

Link to video showing the new SH57/Tararua Road roundabout

The State Highway 57/Tararua Road roundabout complete

The State Highway 57(SH57)/Tararua Road roundabout construction is now complete, with the final asphalting and line marking work finished just before Christmas.

The roundabout improves safety, while also supporting future growth in the area. With vehicle volumes set to increase on Tararua Road over the coming years, the roundabout will be an important link to the new expressway, Tara-Ika growth area and the Levin town centre.

As part of the roundabout project we’ve added safer paths and crossings for people walking and cycling, along with new lighting, landscaping, and upgraded utilities.

To make this happen, we moved about 36,500 tonnes of earth, poured 360 cubic metres of concrete, and laid 5,000 tonnes of structural asphalt and 1,200 tonnes of surfacing SMA (Stone Mastic Asphalt).

Thank you to the community for their continued support and patience throughout construction.

How delays are keeping you moving

As work progresses across the corridor, you’ll start to see more activity on state highways and local roads. Throughout construction, there will be delays, detours, and changes to road layouts. These can be frustrating, but they’re carefully planned steps that help us reduce overall disruption, improve safety, and build more efficiently.

Why construction sequencing matters

Construction sequencing is the planned order of work that ensures the project is delivered safely and efficiently, with the least possible impact on the community. By sequencing activities, we maximise opportunities to build offline, away from live traffic, and minimise the time crews need to work beside active lanes.

To reduce impacts on SH1, SH57, and local roads as much as possible, many major components of the project are built offline first.

What you can’t see matters

It can be frustrating to encounter temporary traffic management when you can’t see any work happening nearby. In many cases, traffic management is in place for safety reasons that aren’t obvious, like an unfinished road surface, site access points, trucks crossing, or crews working just out of sight.

Because a lot of construction is completed offline to improve efficiency, you may experience delays even when the activity isn’t immediately visible. Please remember that just because you can’t see the hazard doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Temporary traffic management is always installed for a reason, and it helps keep road users and crews safe.

Tie-ins and traffic switches

Once offline works are complete, we carry out a ‘tie-in’, connecting new infrastructure to the existing network. After that, traffic can be switched from the old layout to the new one, allowing the next stage of construction to begin.

Tie-ins are when road users are most impacted. These works intersect with live roads, and involve added technical complexity, tight timeframes, and the need to keep everyone safe. For these reasons, tie-ins are completed at night where possible.

Traffic switches, whether temporary or permanent, are essential tools that allow construction to continue elsewhere. In some cases, permanent infrastructure is used temporarily to keep vehicles moving while other areas are built.

Planning your journeys

We aim to give advance notice of temporary traffic management, detours, and diversions. However, there will be times when short‑duration or low‑impact traffic management is put in place without early notification, especially when safety requires immediate action.

Allowing a little extra time for your trip and following posted signs helps keep construction progressing efficiently and keeps everyone safe, including our crew working on and near the roads.

We appreciate your patience, understanding and safe driving.

Temporary 80km/h speed limit in place on State Highway 1

NZTA has temporarily reduced the speed limit from 100kmh to 80km/h on two sections of State Highway 1 (SH1) - between north of Ōtaki and Manakau and between Manakau and Ōhau.

This has been done to reduce the safety risks associated with the construction works either on or adjacent to existing SH1 and the increased volume of heavy traffic accessing the Te Pae o Tararua construction site directly off SH1.

With high volumes of construction vehicles accessing work sites on the existing SH1 and entering and exiting the highway, a lower speed limit gives all road users more time to see, react and stay safe.

There are two site access points on SH1, near Tatum Park and near the rest area between Ōtaki and Forest Lakes Road.

A third site access will be opened just north of Ōtaki this year. Construction vehicles also access SH1 via Kuku East, North Manakau and South Manakau roads.

NZTA has changed the speed limit across the full length of these sections, rather than just at the places where traffic is turning, to reduce driver confusion and improve overall network efficiency by eliminating frequent speed limit changes over short distances.

The temporary change is valid for one year and will be reviewed annually while the project is underway. The project will be actively monitoring traffic flow and speeds along the stretch to ensure the changes are keeping people safe.

While this change isn’t expected to have a major impact on travel times, please plan ahead, drive to the conditions and, most importantly, travel safely.

More information

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/o2nl to find out about the new expressway and other projects happening in this corridor.

For more information on the Te Pae o Tararua: Ōtaki to north of Levin project contact us at info@o2nl.nz or call 0508 625 4636.