West Coast and Alpine Passes state highway planned roadworks

Saturday 29 November to Saturday 5 December 2025

28 November 2025

Kia ora,

Welcome to the latest West Coast state highway planned roadworks update.

We’re moving our newsletter to Monday afternoons, covering updates from Tuesday to Monday for the rest of the construction season. This change means you’ll receive the latest information at the start of the week, making it easier to plan ahead.

The next newsletter will be out on Monday, 8 December.

We’ll review this approach at the end of the season, and we welcome your feedback at the email address below.

Monday, 1 December is Westland Anniversary Day, and our crews will still be on call to respond to any urgent road incidents during the public holiday.

To stay updated on road conditions before you travel visit Journey planner

Below is current at 2.45pm on Friday 28 November 2025

Upcoming SH6/SH7 Cobden Bridge, Greymouth. Daily closures Monday 8 to Thursday 11 December.

Expected weather conditions next mean the closures planned for next week have been rescheduled.

The bridge will close daily from 10 am to 2 pm, Monday 8 to Thursday 11 December, for rock scaling and hazard removal. All motor vehicle traffic will detour through Stillwater during these closures. People walking and cycling can still use the bridge via Mawhera Quay.

SH6 Upper and Lower Buller Gorge

No significant works scheduled for this week.

SH6 Westport to Greymouth

SH6 Whitehorse: Stabilisation work will take place from 2 to 5 December across 5 km of the state highway. Stop/go traffic management and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place, with delays of 5 to 10 minutes.

SH6 Meybille Bay: Stabilisation work will take place on 1 December near Meybille Bay. Stop/go traffic management and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place, with delays of 5 to 10 minutes.

SH6 Rapahoe Straight: Chip sealing will take place on 2 December. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place, with delays of up to 20 minutes.

SH6 Greymouth to Franz Josef

SH6 Ruatapu: Electronet crews will replace poles on 2 and 4 December. Stop/go traffic management and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place, with delays of up to 5 minutes.

SH6 Harihari to Whataroa: A road reconstruction is underway and will continue through December 2025. Stop/go traffic management is in place, and you can expect delays of up to 5 minutes.

SH6 Franz Josef: Chip sealing will take place 3-6 December. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place, with delays of up to 20 minutes.

SH6 Franz Josef to Haast Pass

SH6 Pleasant Flat: Road stabilising and repairs are underway until 12 December. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place, with delays of up to 5 minutes

SH6 Gates of Haast: A new river erosion protection system is being built near the Gates of Haast. From 24 November, the roadside vehicle bay and the area around the Gates of Haast Bridge will be closed. A reduced speed limit will be in place, and motorists should expect minor delays and temporary disruptions while travelling through the project area.

Crews will continue to clean up storm damage at various sites through the week. Expect stop/go traffic management, a 30 km/h temporary speed limit, and short delays.

SH7 Lewis Pass Waipara to Greymouth

SH7 Blacks Point: Electronet crews will carry out vegetation control on 5 December. Stop/go traffic management and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place, with delays of up to 5 minutes.

SH7 Ahaura: Drainage work will take place on 5 December. Stop/go traffic management and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place, with delays of 5 to 10 minutes.

SH7 Ngahere to Kamaka: Pavement repairs will take place between 1 and 4 December. Stop/go traffic management and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place, with delays of 5 to 10 minutes.

SH7 Kamaka: Pavement repairs will take place on 4 and 5 December. Stop/go traffic management and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place, with delays of 5 to 10 minutes.

SH73 Porters and Arthurs Pass

SH73 Arthurs Pass to Otira (Otira Gorge): Washout repairs are underway with stop/go traffic management and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit in place. Expect delays of 5 to 10 minutes.

Other West Coast highways

No significant works scheduled for this week.

SH8 Lindis Pass

No significant works scheduled for this week.

Planning around the weather on the West Coast

The West Coast of the South Island is known for its unpredictable and extreme weather, which makes long-term planning for road maintenance particularly challenging. While our teams monitor forecasts closely, they can only confirm work programmes about a week in advance with any real certainty and even then, plans may need to change at short notice.

Because this newsletter covers a large geographical area, it's important to note that weather conditions can vary significantly from one part of the Coast to another. Sudden changes are common, and they directly impact when and where our crews can operate.

To ensure a high-quality finish, road safety, and long-term resilience, our teams 'chase the good weather', taking advantage of favourable conditions whenever and wherever they occur. This flexible approach allows us to make the most of short weather windows and deliver the best possible outcomes for the network.

More information

For more information on the West Coast state highway maintenance programme, contact us at Passesmaintenance@nzta.govt.nz

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