Connect Rotorua

9 January 2025

SH30/Wharenui Road intersection to get traffic lights

Work is expected to begin in late January to upgrade and install traffic lights at the intersection of State Highway 30 Te Ngae Road and Wharenui Road.

Additional traffic lanes will be created for turning traffic, including on Wharenui Road and from SH30 Te Ngae Road into the Ōwhata Medical Centre.

Widening Wharenui Road at the intersection and controlling turning movements will reduce queuing and improve journey times for road users through this section of highway. This will also make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate the intersection with a widened shared path and signalised crossings. 

Preliminary works will begin in late January 2025, with the project expected to be completed in May 2025.

During some of this time a short section of Wharenui Road at the intersection will be closed to through-traffic so the road can be widened to accommodate separate left and right turn lanes into Te Ngae Road. Access for residents and pedestrians will be maintained while this is done, and a detour will be in place for other traffic.

Our contractor for this project Camex Civil will ensure construction impacts on road users, neighbouring businesses and residents are minimised and regular updates on project progress are provided.

Smoother safer travel along SH30

Upgrading the Wharenui Road intersection is the final package of work in the current phase of our SH30 Eastern Corridor Improvements programme.

Future phases between Basley Road and Rotorua Airport will be delivered in response to growth along the state highway and are currently unfunded.

Stage 1 of the project was completed in February 2022 and saw major improvements from Sala Street to Iles Road.

The second stage of the project has so far seen intersection improvements and double lanes from Iles Road to Basley Road.

Pedestrians and cyclists are enjoying the wider shared paths and on-road cycle lanes, and safer road crossings linking key destinations such as Puketawhero Park, local schools and shops.

Overnight closures on Te Ngae Road

Road users should plan for two weeks of overnight closures on SH30 Te Ngae Road between Iles Road and Ōwhata Road for remedial resurfacing works, which got underway on Tuesday 7 January.

All northbound traffic including heavy traffic will turn left at Vaughan Road and follow detours to Ōwhata Roundabout.

All southbound traffic will turn right at Ōwhata Roundabout and follow detours to Marino Road/SH30 Te Ngae Road intersection.

Busy summer maintenance programme resumes

Our busy summer highway maintenance programme is back underway following a short break for the holiday period. Road users can expect to see our crews at multiple locations across the highway network carrying out road repairs and chip-sealing.

Those travelling between Rotorua and Tīrau on State Highway 5 will encounter two major road rebuilds and are advised to allow extra time when planning their journeys through this section of highway. 

The first is an approximate 2 kilometre stretch of SH5 just west of  Oturoa Road Mamaku, with the second just east of Tapapa.

Both lanes of SH5 are being rebuilt at these 2 sites, which involves digging down to remove the existing road pavement and replacing it with new layers. 

Both are expected to take 3 months to complete. Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed restrictions will be in place during this time.

We have started the work during the school holidays when traffic volumes are lighter, meaning less disruption for motorists and the community.

Further afield, SH1 will be closed between Tūrangi and Waioru from Monday 13 January for approximately 2 months. During this time our teams will carry out major repairs including a bridge deck replacement.

Our state highway network is essential for moving people and goods around the country, and our work ensures the road is safe and accessible for everyone who travels on it.

This work forms part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund. 

To find out more about where major road works are happening and to plan your journeys please visit  journeys.nzta.govt.nz/journey-planner

More information

For more information on Connect Rotorua, contact us at ConnectRotorua@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/connect-rotorua