Waikato state highway maintenance programme

Saturday 15 November to Friday 21 November 2025

14 November 2025

State highway maintenance and renewals update

State highways with scheduled works starting this week:

• SH30 East of Bennydale
• SH30 Whakamaru Dam
• SH25A Kōpū Hikuai
• SH1 Tokoroa to Ātiamuri
• SH1 Maramarua

Roadworks may be postponed due to rain or other factors that disrupt the weekly schedule.

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

Check the NZTA Journey Planner for the latest travel information and journey times before starting your journey: journeys.nzta.govt.nz

Thames - Coromandel

State Highway 25 and State Highway 25A, road works and potential impacts to journeys.

Work underway

SH25A Kōpū Hikuai Road - closure: Daytime closures are in place on SH25A for 2 weeks for a major road rebuild. The work started on Monday 10 November and runs until approximately Friday 21 November, with the road closed between 8am to 5pm Monday to Saturday. The closure points are SH26/SH25A at Kōpū and SH25/SH25A at Hikuai. All traffic through the closure points by 8am will get through before the daily closure. The road reopens to a single lane and stop/go each evening from 5pm and on Sunday 16 November. Critical services such as first responders and school buses will be escorted through the site during the day. All other vehicles need to take the SH25/SH2/SH26 detour which adds an hour to the travel time. More information

SH25 Kūaotunu: Underslip repairs are underway and Kūaotunu Hill is reduced to a single lane. While work is ongoing the road is expected to remain open with lane shifts, however some short-term closures may be needed. Traffic management and speed restrictions are in place. The repairs are due to be completed in December.

SH25 Whangamatā: Repairs to a bridge on the outskirts of Whangamatā mean a closure and short detour is now in place until about Tuesday 9 December. Urgent deck work is needed on the Moana Anu Anu Bridge (also known as the Wentworth Bridge) on SH25. The bridge closed to all traffic, including pedestrians and cyclists, on Wednesday 29 October. The closure runs 24/7. The detour through Whangamatā uses Mayfair Avenue and Martyn Road, due to council watermain works on the usual detour route via Port Road and Hetherington Road. The detour adds a few minutes to normal journey times.

West Waikato

Work underway

SH30 east of Bennydale (2 worksites): Two road rebuilds are kicking off in November, the first started on 3 November with drainage works, followed by a road rebuild with a completion date of Friday 5 December. The second worksite is due to start Monday 17 November with shoulder and drainage works taking 2 to 3 weeks, followed by the road rebuild taking 2 weeks - completion expected mid-December. There will be stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit on both worksites. Work will take place between 7am and 7pm each day with stop/go traffic management remaining in place overnight.

East Waikato

Work starting soon

SH29 Kaimai Range - closure: The Kaimai Range will close for 5 nights, from Sunday 30 November to Thursday 4 December, between 7.30pm and 4am each night (reopening early Friday morning). These closures are necessary to complete urgent scaling works on the Ruahihi Bluffs, along with routine maintenance, including drain clearing, and road marking and surfacing. Further closure details and more information on access and detours will be provided in the coming week.

South Waikato

Delays across SH5: People travelling along SH5 between Tīrau and Rotorua during October will encounter three seperate work sites - SH5/SH28 roundabout construction; road maintenance at SH5 near Waiohotu, and road rebuilding at SH5 Tārukenga. People should expect delays and plan ahead.

Work starting next week

SH30 Whakamaru Dam:  SH30 across the Whakamaru Dam will be closed during the day from Monday 17 November to Friday 21 November from 8am to 7pm. The detour from Whakamaru during these times is via SH32, Piohipi Road, Tirohanga Road, SH1 and vice versa. School buses will be able to get across the dam before 8am but will need to use the northbound detour to return to Whakamaru or Mangakino in the afternoons.

Work underway

SH1 Tokoroa to Ātiamuri: Overnight work continues at the northern sites on SH1 from the SH1/SH32 intersection at Tokoroa to the SH1 Kinleith intersection. SH1 will be closed overnight between 7pm and 6am. Traffic detours from SH1 down SH32, Old Taupō Road, Kinleith Road and back onto SH1. This detour adds approximately 5km and 5 minutes to travel time.

SH1 Waitahanui: Overnight stop/go is in place at Waitahanui for asphalting. Work is between 7pm and 6am. There are temporary speed limits in place during the day. Usual hours at 7pm to 6am Sunday to Thursday. We have lost several shifts because of poor weather so crews will be working this Friday. Stop/go will be in place at Waitahanui from 7pm, Friday 14 November, until 6am, Saturday 15 November. Work hours will then resume as normal (weather dependent). Please prepare for some delays in this area while work is happening.

SH1 Putāruru to Tokoroa: Overnight work continues using stop/go traffic management on sites between Putāruru and Tokoroa. Work is between 7pm and 6am, Sunday to Thursday nights. During the day there are temporary speed limits. The work due to start on the Puriri passing lanes will now start in early 2026.

SH5 east of Tīrau: Road widening between SH28 Whites Road and Waimakariri Road to allow for the installation of wide centrelines continues until Monday 15 December. Traffic is being managed through the site under speed restrictions with some stop/go. More information

SH1/SH5 Taupō: A Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre is under construction at the SH1/SH5 roundabout. The in-road weigh-in-motion scales on the 5 roads heading towards the safety centre have been installed. Work on camera technology and electronic sign boards is progressing. Work in the lanes has largely finished, apart from an occasional lane closure for a day, but continues on the road shoulders. More information

SH5/SH28 Harwoods Road: Construction of a roundabout at this intersection east of Tīrau is underway. Traffic is being managed through the site with speed restrictions. There is a closure of SH28 at the worksite until Wednesday 17 December. There will be a detour available via SH27 and SH29. Traffic will be on the new roundabout in March 2026. More information

North Waikato

Work starting this week

SH1 near Mercer: There will be full closures in both directions between Mercer Ferry Road and Hall Road, including Koheroa Road overbridge from Sunday 16 November to Tuesday 18 November between 9pm and 5am. During this time all on and off-ramps at Mercer will remain open but traffic will not be able to travel across the overbridge. To travel to and from the township the following detour will be in place

• To travel eastbound across Koheroa Road overbridge (away from the township), use SH1 Mercer northbound on-ramp and turn around at Pioneer Road southbound on-ramp to travel south. You can exit at Mercer to access the township (travel time 7 mins). 
• To travel westbound across Koheroa Road overbridge (towards the township), take SH1 Mercer southbound on-ramp and please travel south on SH1 and turn around at Hampton Downs. You can exit at Mercer to access Koheroa Road (travel time 13 mins).  

SH2 Maramarua: Stop/go traffic management will be in place for 3 road closures between 9pm and 5am each night. 

• Between Ferndale Road and Monument Road on Sunday 16 November and Monday 17 November.
• Between Pendergrast Road and Pinnacle Hill Road on Monday 17 November and Tuesday 18 November.
• Between Rawiri Road intersection and Kopuku Road from Sunday 16 November to Wednesday 19 November.

Construction terms frequently used by NZTA

• Bund – embankment that creates a barrier
• Buttress – supporting structure
• Gabion wall – baskets filled with rocks
• Hanbar – specially designed interlocking blocks
• Rip rap – large rocks
• Rock revetment – protection
• Scour – erosion
• Shotcrete – sprayed liquid concrete
• Willow wall – using willows as ‘living walls’ to stabilise slips
• Counterfort drain – drain that improves slope stability by controlling groundwater
• Soil anchors/soil nails – a device used to hold, restrain and support structures
• MSE (Mechanically Stabilised Earth) – a retaining wall construction technique used to stabilise slope

SH2 Karangahake Gorge - spider excavator

Waikato summer renewals map

The map below indicates worksites which may inpact your journeys this summer maintenance season.

More information

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

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/waikato-maintenance

View our state highway maintenance frequently asked questions.

For information about what’s happening with other infrastructure projects across the region please visit Waikato projects website