Tairāwhiti/Gisborne state highway planned roadworks

Saturday 4 October to Friday 10 October

3 October 2025

Kia ora

Welcome to this week’s issue of the Tairāwhiti/Gisborne state highway planned roadworks update. 

This weekly newsletter keeps you informed about what’s happening across the region’s state highway network – from the summer road renewals to recovery works – so you can plan ahead. 

Our summer renewals season is set to begin this Monday, with our first road rebuild starting on State Highway 35 at Wharekahika/Hicks Bay. The rebuild teams will be moving down SH35 toward Ruatoria over the coming weeks – give them a wave as you pass and drive safely through the sites to help keep them safe.

Dates in this update may change at short notice due to weather or other unforeseen factors. 

Check Journey Planner for the latest travel information and journey times on the state highways.

Ngā mihi nui, 

The NZTA Tairāwhiti team

Information current as at 12:06pm on 3/10/25

Upcoming roadworks

State Highway 35

SH35 Hicks Bay Hill

• Monday 6 October to Thursday 30 October, Monday to Friday, 5am-7pm
• Due to a road rebuild, stop/go traffic management and temporary reduced speed limits will be in place, with up to 15 minute delays. Facebook and Journey Planner.

SH35 south of Maraehara Valley Road, Tikitiki (Gudgeons Hill)

• Starting Tuesday 14 October to Thursday 30 October, Monday to Friday, 5am-7pm
• Due to a road rebuild, stop/go traffic management and temporary reduced speed limits will be in place, with up to 15 minute delays. More information.

SH35 Puketiti Road, south of Te Puia Springs

• Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 October, daytime.
• Due to culvert replacement, stop/go traffic management will be in place, with up to 10 minute delays.

SH35 Hikuwai Bridge No.1

• Ongoing, 24/7
• Due to the bridge rebuild project by the Transport Rebuild East Coast alliance (TREC), temporary reduced speed limits are in place. More information

SH35 Mangahauini Gorge

• Ongoing until mid-2026, 24/7
• Due to the recovery project by TREC, stop/go traffic management and temporary reduced speed limits will be in place at various locations, with 0-10 minute delays. More information.

SH35 Rototahe

• Ongoing for 6 months, Monday to Friday, 7am-5pm
• Due to the flood resilience project by TREC, stop/go traffic management and 30km/hr temporary speed limit is in place for northbound traffic, with 5-10 minute delays. More information.

SH35 various locations

• Ongoing, 6am-6pm
• Due to various roadworks, stop/go traffic management and temporary reduced speed restrictions will be in place, with up to 5 minute delays.

State Highway 2 North

SH2 Otoko Hill

• Ongoing, 24/7
• Due to multiple recovery works by TREC, stop/go traffic management will be in place. More information.

SH2 Hakanui Straight

• Ongoing until mid-2026, 24/7
• Due to the flood resilience project by TREC, stop/go traffic lights and other traffic management is in place, with 5-10 minute delays. More information.

SH2 Various locations

• Ongoing, 6am-6pm
• Due to various roadworks, stop/go traffic management and temporary speed restrictions may be in place, with up to 5 minute delays.

Drop-out repair on SH2 nearly complete

The drop-out repair at the passing lane on SH2 north of Rakauroa Road is expected to be finished today (Friday 3 October), including line marking.

More information

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

All work listed above is being undertaken on behalf of NZTA, unless otherwise stated. The Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) alliance is also undertaking recovery work on our behalf in Tairāwhiti this season.

For more information on the Gisborne state highway maintenance programme, contact us at Gisbornemaintenance@nzta.govt.nz, visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/tairawhiti or call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49).

TREC send a regular newsletter about the recovery work on the state highways in Tairāwhiti. If you’d like to receive these, you can sign up at their website here. If you have any questions about TREC activity, please contact info@trec.nz