Taranaki state highway planned roadworks

Saturday 15 November to Friday 21 November

14 November 2025

Repairs underway on SH3 Tongapōrutu

Kia ora,

We’re often asked why we complete our renewal season during the summer when people are out and about enjoying the weather.

Warmer spring and summer months are the best time for this work as daylight hours are longer and the warm temperatures and dry air help the new seal stick to the road surface. Warm weather helps ensure the new seal becomes strong and long lasting.

Roading materials such as bitumen and emulsion are liquids when they are hot and hard when cold. They can crack in cold weather, return to a liquid state in high temperatures, and wet road conditions during sealing will affect the bond between the bitumen and the road, leading to chip seal failures.

During the peak summer months we do our best to balance the need to get as much work done as we can before schools return, while the roads are quieter, whilst also minimising the effect on people’s holiday travel.

Before hitting the road this summer, remember to check NZTA Journey Planner for the latest travel information and journey times: journeys.nzta.govt.nz

Roadworks this week

State highways with scheduled works this week:

• State Highway 3 (SH3) Awakino to New Plymouth
• State Highway 3 (SH3) New Plymouth to Hāwera
• State Highway 3A (SH3A)
• State Highway 44 (SH44)

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

Information current as at 9am on 14 November 2025.

State Highway 3 – Awakino to New Plymouth

Expect total delays of up to 30 minutes on SH3 between Tongapōrutu and Piopio while recovery works continue following significant rainfall and high winds throughout October. Main sites include:

SH3 Awakino: Stop/go traffic management is in place at all times due to an underslip caused by recent wet weather. A geotechnical assessment is underway to determine a long-term solution.

SH3 Tongapōrutu: Construction of a retaining wall to repair an underslip is underway until mid-December (weather permitting). Stop/go traffic management is in place at all times. Expect delays of 5 to 10 minutes.

SH3 Mangaotaki: Construction of a retaining wall to repair an underslip is underway until early December (weather permitting). Stop/go traffic management is in place at all times. Expect delays of 5 to 10 minutes.

SH3 Urenui: A road rebuild started on Tuesday 11 November and continue for 4 to 5 weeks. Work will take place under stop/go traffic management with delays of 5 to 10 minutes. Work will run between 6am and 7pm, Monday to Saturday.

State Highway 3 – New Plymouth to Hāwera

SH3 Inglewood: Resurfacing taking place between Brookes and Rata streets, between 7pm and 6am each night. Due to be completed the night of Monday 17 November. Stop/go traffic management is in place. Expect delays of 5 to 10 minutes. The road is open during the day with a temporary speed limit in place.

State Highway 3A

SH3A Inglewood: A road rebuild is underway from Monday to Saturday between 6am and 6pm. Stop/go traffic management is in place, with delays of 10 to 15 minutes. The rebuild is expected to finish by 7 December, weather permitting.

State Highway 44

SH44 Breakwater Road: New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) is replacing a watermain. A 30 km/h temporary speed limit and stop/go traffic management are in place. This work is expected to finish before Christmas.

SH44 St Aubyn Street: A road rebuild will start on Sunday 16 November and continue for 10 nights. Work will take place from 7pm to 6am, Sunday to Thursday each week. Stop/go traffic management will be in place with delays of 5-10 minutes.

SH3 Mangapepeke culvert replacement projects

We’re replacing 2 ageing culverts on State Highway 3, north of New Plymouth this summer.

The replacement of the Mangapepeke No.1 and No.2 culverts on SH3 near Ahititi with new modern structures will support the future resilience and reliability of the state highway.

Early works are planned for the week of 17 November, with minor temporary traffic management expected. The main earthworks and culvert replacement work is expected to start in January next year.

Due to deep excavation work required to remove the old culverts, a full road closure of a section of SH3 is being planned for 5 days from 12.01am on Friday 16 January – 11.59pm on Tuesday 20 January. We’re sharing the closure dates in advance so people can plan their travel.

Closing the road

We need to close the road as there will be no space for vehicles to pass safely around or through the worksite when the old culverts are removed.

This is because the hole left by one of the old culverts is expected to be about 8-metres deep and the length of a netball court. The other culvert will leave a hole about 5-metres deep and 20 metres in length. 

Heavy machinery, including a crane, will also be positioned on the road during the excavation work.

It’s not possible to offer scheduled opening times as the holes and machinery in the way will make traffic flow impossible.

However road workers will be on shifts 24/7 to ensure the work happens quickly and safety so we can get the road back open as soon as possible.

Timing

We’ve considered the timing of the closure. This work needs to happen during dry weather and when water levels are low. We’ve avoided the busy Christmas and New Year period and programmed the works during the later part of the school holidays to avoid impacting school traffic.

The decision to close a road is always done with careful planning. While we understand this 5-day closure will be disruptive it is important we replace these ageing culverts.

For more information, visit: nzta.govt.nz/sh3-mangapepeke-culvert-replacement

More information

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

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

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

For more information on the Taranaki state highway maintenance programme, contact us at info@nzta.govt.nz or 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 444 449) or visit our website nzta.govt.nz/taranaki-maintenance.