SH25/SH25A Thames-Coromandel

17 October 2024

Big focus on highway maintenance for Waikato

Over the next 3 years, the Waikato region is benefiting from the national funding injection of over $2 billion for pothole prevention and maintenance, with a high volume of road renewals planned in this region over the next 3 summers.

In total over 180 lane kilometres of road will either be rebuilt or resealed across the wider Waikato region, including around the Coromandel Peninsula.

Road users can expect to see a lot of activity over the next 6 months, with work taking a break over the peak Christmas holiday period.

Resealing work is usually completed in a relatively short time and often done at night, however there could be delays the following morning due to temporary speed limits while chipseal beds in. 

Road rebuilds are more intensive and take longer as the existing road surface and underlying road structure (pavement) is removed down to the foundation and replaced. Some sections of road will be under construction for multiple months while this is done.

All this work needs to be done during the warmer, drier months over summer to get the right result. This ultimately means fewer potholes and a smoother, more efficient and safer journey for road users in the future. With so much work taking place it is inevitable people will come across worksites and traffic management.

We thank you for your patience in advance. When you see roadworkers out on the road, travel safely through their worksites, follow signage and any instructions you receive, and give them a wave to say thanks for their tremendous work.

To plan ahead and see where disruptive works are, people can use the NZTA Journey Planner (journeys.nzta.govt.nz) This is kept up to date in real time so you can see all disruptive activity and potential hazards on the state highway network.

Big Pumpkin Hill slip repairs begin

Work is underway to repair a large underslip on SH25 near Sailors Grave Road just north of Tairua. This is one of the more complex repairs in our Coromandel Recovery Programme and is expected to take around 6 months to complete.

The result of severe weather in early 2023, the slip is about 30m wide and 20m deep and contractors will need to remove about 2100 cubic metres of material. Teams will work from both the bottom and top of the slip to progressively remove this spoil and build a retaining wall layer by layer.

The road will be widened into the western shoulder to give more space for these works to be done, however stop/go traffic management will be required at times during construction. 

Underslip repairs are also underway between Wharakaho and Kuaotunu which will take 2-3 months to complete, near Matarangi and at Te Kouma where work continues until November.

Stop/go traffic management will be in place during the day at all these sites, with a shoulder closure and temporary speed restrictions in place outside of working hours.

Coromandel single lane bridges to be replaced

Work to replace 4 bridges in the Coromandel district, including 3 single lane bridges on SH25, is underway.

Funding has been allocated in the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) to progress the replacement of Pepe Stream Bridge in Tairua, the Ramarama Stream Bridge near Whiritoa and the Boundary Creek Bridge on the Thames coast.

These bridges have been prioritised for replacement to ensure we continue to have a reliable, resilient and safe state highway network. This also improves freight connections by removing weight or other restrictions.

A business case for a new 2-lane bridge across Pepe Stream, with an attached shared path, and some improvements to the Pepe Road intersection was approved by the NZTA Board in 2022 and funding for its construction has been allocated in the 2024-27 NLTP.

The project is in the pre-implementation phase, which covers the design and scoping work required for the project and consent applications. The construction timeline is not yet confirmed, but a key focus in our project planning is how to minimise impacts and duration of construction.

The Ramarama Stream Bridge project is also at pre-implementation phase.

The Boundary Creek Bridge is currently reduced to a single lane to manage weight restrictions and a new bridge deck will be installed to enable the resumption of 2-way traffic.

Meanwhile construction to replace the Onetai Stream Bridge on SH26 near Hikutaia is expected to begin in 2025. The replacement bridge will be 3m wider than the existing bridge, improving safety and efficiency of this highway, which is the only through route between Thames and Paeroa on the eastern side of the Waihou River.

We will keep the community updated as we continue to progress all these important projects to improve the highway network.

Minor repairs for Hikuai Bridge

Contractors will be back at work on the Hikuai Bridge next week to complete repairs begun earlier this year, but not able to be completed due to wet weather. The work will involve a series of short closures and is currently scheduled for Tuesday 22 October. This is weather dependent and work will be postponed to later in the week if necessary.