SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki

Project update

11 July 2025

The construction site of the Matekerepu roundabout

Matekerepu Update

The construction of the roundabout at the intersection of State Highway 2 and Wainui Road at Matekerepu is progressing well with the crew working hard to keep traffic flowing through the area.

Work continues despite the wet weather

What’s been happening at Matekerepu

There’s been a lot of activity at the Matekerepu roundabout construction site this month, despite the recent bad weather. Work to carry materials to and from the site continued through June with 3- way stop/go traffic management in place. The widening of Wainui Road has begun, and soon, traffic will be diverted to the newly sealed wider shoulder while the roundabout is built. The relocated streetlights are working well in their new locations, providing good visibility and improving the safety at the intersection.

Please allow for extra time if you’re travelling through the area, especially during peak hours. Traffic management will remain the same as previous weeks, and crews will be working hard to finish the work as quickly as possible to minimise disruption. All work is weather dependent and any significant changes to the traffic management will be communicated if needed.

Materials being carried to and from the work site

Planning and progress at Ōhiwa Beach Road and Waiotahe Back Road intersections

The 2 intersections on either side of the Waiotahe River Bridge on SH2 – Ōhiwa Beach Road and Waiotahe Valley Back Road – are set to be upgraded to improve safety. This is part of the SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki Safety Improvements Project and is known as Section 2. Funding has been approved and when we do have further information, we will share it to the community via our newsletters and media releases. You can find those here.

An aerial shot of the intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road

Improving intersections for safer, easier travel

With work happening at the SH2 Wainui Road intersection and funding approved for work at the intersections of SH2 with Ōhiwa Beach Road and Waiotahe Valley Back Road, you may be curious about what’s driving the upgrades. 

The stretch of road on SH2 between Wainui Road and Ōpōtiki is a high-risk rural road which can be made safer and therefore more efficient. Because of its status as a high-risk rural road, a safety improvements project was developed and implemented in 2021. Since then, the safety improvements made have been installing side road and flexible side barriers, improving the curve in the road, widening road shoulders and line marking at various locations between Ōpōtiki and Wainui Road. 

The intersection connecting SH2 and Wainui Road is on a sweeping bend with limited visibility. Between 2014 and 2023, there were 9 crashes at this intersection. Three of these were crashes causing injury, one of which was serious. The intersections of SH2 with Ōhiwa Beach Road and Waiotahe Valley Back Road are also dangerous with there being 2 fatal crashes, one crash causing serious injury, and 3 crashes causing minor injuries occurring between 2014 and 2023. It’s clear these intersections need serious attention with safety in the community being a top priority for us.  

On top of being safer, the new roundabouts will make it easier for road users to get across the intersections. For example, the intersections on either side of the Waiotahe River Bridge make it difficult for drivers approaching the area on SH2 to see vehicles wanting to turn right onto the state highway and vice versa. Likewise, the SH2 Wainui Road intersection’s location on a sweeping bend makes it difficult for road users to see what’s coming on SH2.

Funding approved for new deck on SH2 Pekatahi Bridge

Late June funding to build a new deck on the SH2 Pekatahi Bridge was confirmed.

We understand how important SH2 is for locals and freight. The new deck will improve safety by reducing the risk of damage to vehicles and the need for ongoing repairs. The design for the new bridge deck is well underway and expected to be completed in the coming months. All going to plan, construction is expected to start early 2026.

Drainage works at Matekerepu roundabout

Thank you

We do our best to minimise impacts to people as they drive through our work site and want to thank the local community for their patience. We’re pleased to be delivering important safety improvements at the SH2 and Wainui Road intersection and looking forward to starting work on the final section in 2026.

More information

For more information on the SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki project, visit our website nzta.govt.nz/sh2-wainui-road-to-opotiki

If you have any questions, please contact us at bopprojects@nzta.govt.nz