Marlborough state highway planned roadworks

Saturday 1 November to Friday 7 November

31 October 2025

Kia ora and welcome

Welcome to this week's issue of the Marlborough state highway planned roadworks update.

Most roadworks will pause over Marlborough Anniversary weekend to coincide with expected increased holiday traffic. This helps reduce disruption and delays for drivers over the holiday weekend.

Contractors will shut down roadworks sites from midday today, Friday 31 October, returning early morning Tuesday 4 November. Long-term sites may have ongoing restrictions in place.

If you are travelling, remember to check Journey Planner for the latest updates on road conditions. Expect increased traffic volumes for the Hanmer Springs Fête on 1 November from 10am to 4pm, and the Kaikōura Races on 2 and 3 November. 

The information outlined below is current as at 12 noon on 31/10/2025.

SH1 Picton to Christchurch

SH1 Tamiate (north of Ward)

Chipsealing will be carried out on Tuesday 4 November from 7am until 5pm. Stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place. Expect delays of up to 10 minutes.

SH1 Ward

Drainage works will take place at various sites from Tuesday 4 to Friday 28 November, between 6.30am and 6pm. Stop/go traffic management will be in place. Expect delays of up to 5 minutes.

SH1 Hundalees night closures

SH1 Hundalees (from the Conway River to Oaro) will be closed for four nights from Tuesday 4 to Saturday 8 November between 9pm and 5am for resurfacing work. The road will reopen at midnight each night to let queued traffic through. Detour routes will be available (refer to maps below). The Inland Road route will add approximately 30 minutes to travel time. This detour is not suitable for heavy vehicles which must detour via SH7, SH65, SH6 and SH63.

In addition, on Monday 3 November between 9pm and 5am, there will be stop/go traffic management in place in this area Expect delays of up to 10 minutes.

Read our traffic bulletin for more information.

SH1 Carmen Road at Buchanans Road (Christchurch) 

Christchurch City Council continues work to upgrade a major wastewater pipe, working in 24-hour shifts until Tuesday 4 November. SH1 will be reduced to one lane in each direction, but traffic can continue straight through. Expect delays of 30 to 60 minutes. Suggested routes will be posted on SH1 Johns Road and SH1 Main South Road to help bypass the area. Read the Christchurch City Council Newsline article for more information.

SH1 Russley Road, between Ryans Road and Pinehurst Crescent (Christchurch)

Night works for a Christchurch City Council water repair will take place on 2 and 3 November from 6pm to 6am. Expect a full southbound closure with local road detours in place.

Upcoming resurfacing works on SH1 Riverlands and Spring Creek roundabout

Night-time asphalting work is planned for two sections of State Highway 1 in Marlborough next month. Stop/go traffic management and a reduced temporary speed limit will be in place. Expect delays of up to 10 minutes.

SH1/Alabama Road intersection - Mon 10 to Wed 12 November, 6pm to 7am. During this time we will also resurface a section of Alabama Road, at the SH1 intersection. All traffic needing to access Alabama Road during work hours must detour via Redwood Street.

SH1 Spring Creek roundabout - Thurs 13 and Fri 14 November, 7pm to 7am. During this time we will resurface the start of Ferry Road near the railway lines. This means access to and from Ferry Road via SH1 will be closed during work hours. Residents must detour via Tuamarina from Blind Creek Road to Thomas Road, Neal Road onto Chaytors Road, Bothams Bend Road and then Ferry Road.

Read our traffic bulletin for more information.

Upcoming night closures on SH1 Weld Pass

Night works are planned for Weld Pass from Sunday 23 November to Friday 5 December. Work will be carried out nightly between 7pm and 5am. There will be one opening each night at midnight to let queued traffic through the work area. The northbound lane will travel first, followed by the southbound lane.

Weld Pass must be closed to all traffic while the work is completed. It's a narrow road with limited space - resurfacing work and laying asphalt uses large machinery and it simply isn’t possible to allow traffic through the work site while work is underway

Roadworkers will lay just under 3,500 m2 of asphalt to strengthen the road surface of Weld Pass. This will include milling/removing the old surface, before adding new layers. They will make the most of the closure by carrying out other maintenance work including culvert works, clearing drainage and attending to signage and vegetation.

This work's similar to servicing your car or repainting your house -regular maintenance prevents bigger problems down the track.

Read our media release for more information.

SH6 Blenheim to Nelson

SH6 Okaramio

Chipsealing will be carried out on Wednesday 5 November from 7am until 5pm. Stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place. Expect delays of up to 10 minutes.

SH6 Whangamoa Saddle

Resilience works continue between Rai Valley and Hira. Stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h reduced speed limit is in place 24/7 for the safety of all road users. There are five sites to complete as part of this project, however only one site will be worked on at a time to minimise disruption. Plan ahead for delays of up to 10 minutes when travelling between Nelson and Blenheim while this work is underway.

Read our traffic bulletin for more information.

Upcoming night closures on SH6 Whangamoa Saddle

State Highway 6 Whangamoa Saddle, between Rai Valley and Hira will be closed from Sunday 9 to Friday 28 November (Sunday to Thursday nights) between 8pm and 5:30am for resurfacing and maintenance work.

We'll reopen the road once a night to let traffic through. If you want to travel overnight you’ll need to be at the closure points - the weighbridge in Hira, and on the Rai Valley straight at Rai Engineering & Mechanical, by 12:30am. Please plan carefully to ensure you meet this schedule.

It’s important we complete these works as quickly and as safely as possible which is why we’ve planned this work to be carried out at night, when there are fewer vehicles using the road. During the closure roadworkers will reseal sections of the highway, clear drainage, replace a culvert, carry out resilience improvements, and other general maintenance work to ensure the road is in good shape before the summer holidays.

We know this will be disruptive but given the narrowness of the road and the heavy equipment being used for resurfacing, the highway must be closed to keep you and roadworkers safe. If you want to travel between Blenheim and Nelson overnight you can detour via State Highway 63 and St Arnaud. This will add an extra 45 minutes to travel times.

Read our media release for more information.

SH63 Renwick to Kawatiri Junction

SH63 Andersons Bridge

Work on Andersons Bridge is almost complete with sealing work carried out onsite on Wednesday 29 October. A reduced temporary speed limit will remain in place until line marking is completed.

SH63 Wairau Valley East

Work to rebuild a 1.3 kilometre section of State Highway 63, on the Renwick side of the Wairau Valley township continues until Friday 12 December. Stop/go traffic management will be in place between 7am and 6pm, Mondays to Saturdays. A 30 km/h temporary speed limit will remain in place 24/7. Plan ahead for delays of up to 10 minutes at this site during work hours.

Read our traffic bulletin for more information.

Please note there will be stop/go traffic management in place at multiple locations on State Highway 63 over the next four weeks as we carry out minor storm damage repairs. Expect short delays while this work is underway.

What is road rebuilding (or rehabilitation)

Road rebuilding or rehabilitation is a process used to restore roads that have become worn out or damaged. It goes beyond simple repairs and involves rebuilding the road to ensure it remains safe and durable.

Road rebuilding  involves:

• Removing the old road surface and damaged layers underneath.
• Strengthening the base if the ground is weak or unstable.
• Laying new materials such as asphalt or chipseal to create a smooth driving surface.
• Upgrading drainage systems to prevent future water damage.
• Adding safety improvements like clearer road markings, signage, or barriers.

Road rebuilding is important because it improves safety for all road users, reduces the need for ongoing maintenance and patch repairs, and supports key industries like freight and tourism by keeping transport routes reliable. It also ensures roads can withstand heavy traffic and changing weather conditions over time.

The images below show work underway during a recent road rebuild of State Highway 1, south of Ward

More information

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

All work is subject to weather and other unforeseen circumstances. In the event of unsuitable conditions, work will be rescheduled to the next suitable workday.

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

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/sh-maintenance-programme/marlborough

For information on Nelson/Tasman, or Canterbury state highway maintenance,  where you can sign up for newsletters that cover other regions.