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SH1 Cambridge to PiarereProject update |
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16 December 2024 |
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Traffic will be switched onto 2 of 3 completed approach roads this week. Piarere roundabout approaching next milestoneConstruction on the new 60-metre roundabout in Piarere is approaching another milestone, with 2 of the 3 completed approach roads set to open this week. The roundabout opened to traffic in September 2024 with 2 temporary approach roads in action while work continued on the 3 permanent approaches. From tomorrow, Tuesday 17 December, traffic will be moved onto the permanent State Highway 1 (SH1, from Tīrau) and State Highway 29 (SH29) approaches during the day.This change will see traffic from all 3 directions using the roundabout. The road will remain open while the switch is made, and stop/go won't be required; however, motorists should prepare for minor delays in the area. Both roads are expected to be opened by the end of the day. Tonight (Monday 16 December), prior to the switch, line marking will be undertaken under stop/go from 8pm to 4am (weather dependent). Motorists should expect delays of around 10 minutes during this time. The opening of these approaches will see the current tie-in road for Tīrau traffic become an access lane for nearby properties. The temporary Hamilton approach road will remain in use while work continues on the permanent configuration, which is expected to be finished in early 2025. All construction is on track to be completed in mid-2025. Once finished, the roundabout will improve efficiency, connectivity, and safety on this very important high-volume route. NZTA thanks motorists for their patience and asks drivers to stick to temporary speed limits and take extra care when travelling through the area while people adjust to the new layout. |
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A blessing was held at the Piarere roundabout early Monday morning, with local mana whenua – Ngaati Koroki Kahukura, Ngaati Hauaa Iwi Trust and Raukawa – ahead of traffic travelling on the new permanent approach roads. NZTA, on behalf of our mana whenua partners, acknowledges that the original name for Piarere was Piiereere. Piiereere means fissure or a crack in the earth’s surface. In the past the course of the Waikato river changed at the roundabout location. |
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Karāpiro closure for a week in JanuarySH1 at Karāpiro, south of Cambridge, will be closed for 5 nights and 4 days in January 2025 for maintenance and repair work. Traffic will need to take detours or alternative routes to avoid the area during the closure. The closure is between Karāpiro Road south to SH1/SH29 at Piarere and runs from midnight on Sunday 19 January to midnight on Thursday 23 January 2025. During the works, contractors will lay 42,000m2 of chipseal and apply a second coat seal on barrier areas and shoulders. They will also carry out works at the intersection with Maungatautari Road and general maintenance such as mowing and sign repairs. Access will remain for all properties within the closure and sideroads leading to it, but delays are expected. Emergency services will have full access through the site at all times.
Detour routes: To get maintenance and repair work done quickly, safely and cost effectively, these full closures at Karāpiro are to become a regular event – up to 3 to 4 times a year. We will give as much notice as possible of any closures. Email west.waikato@fultonhogan.com with the subject line: Karāpiro to receive emailed updates. |
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SH1/Karāpiro Road intersection updateA programme of safety improvements involving flexible median barriers and turnaround bays began in 2020, with the aim of reducing deaths and serious injuries between Cambridge and Piarere. This project was completed mid-2024. In addition to the funded programme of safety works, from 2022 we looked at the possibility of installing a roundabout to replace the T-intersection at SH1/Karāpiro Road intersection. This was considered as an interim step until such time as the future expressway was built providing a permanent solution. The proposed roundabout was not funded as part of the original safety improvements and additional funding was sought; however, it has not been prioritised for funding via the current 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP). The NLTP determines where funding is prioritised across the state highway network across all investments – programmes and projects – and how we invest in road safety is changing. Our focus is on delivering safe roading infrastructure via the Roads of National Significance and Roads of Regional Significance, providing enhanced maintenance and highway resilience as well as increased support for NZ Police enforcement. This means several state highway safety improvement projects at various stages in planning have been reprioritised to meet investment objectives and available funding. We have, however, secured funding to install interim safety measures. This includes installing signage and upgrading line marking to alert drivers to the intersection ahead. These will be installed in mid-Jan 2025. A second step will be to install permanent electronic signs to display safety messages. This will occur before mid-2025. We expect that these safety messages will help to remind drivers of the importance of being vigilant around this intersection. As a part of the Cambridge to Piarere expressway (C2P) project, a new interchange will be built at the SH1/Karāpiro Road intersection. We expect construction on this interchange to begin in mid-2026. For more information on the safety improvements we have made along this road, and the C2P expressway, please visit our website. |
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The night crew at work on the Lichfield site of SH1. SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance projectThe SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru maintenance project has finished all road closures this year, with SH1 between Putāruru and Tokoroa re-opened from today, Monday 16 December, with temporary speed management in place for 2 days while the chip seal embeds. Some temporary traffic management (which may include stop/go) remains in place on the northern section of SH1, between Upper Ātiamuri and Wairakei, until Friday 20 December.
The first closures of 2025 will be: |
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Cambridge to Piarere expressway consentingThe Cambridge to Piarere expressway (C2P) project has been confirmed as a Road of National Significance and a priority for delivery as part of the 2024-27 NLTP. We're working on consenting, property acquisition and design and we expect the first phase of construction to start in late 2026 and construction is expected to take approximately 6-7 years. In early December 2024 NZTA finalised the Notices of Requirement (NOR) and Resource Consent applications and lodged these with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The consents were lodged under the Resource Management (Natural and Built Environment and Spatial Planning Repeal and Interim Fast-track Consenting) Act 2023 (the Repeal Act). This provides a fast-track consenting process for some infrastructure projects, including roading, and is quicker than the standard RMA process. The Repeal Act pathway is intended to be replaced by the new fast track pathway under the proposed Fast-track Approvals Bill. While we are listed in the Fast-track Approvals Bill, we applied to use the interim fast-track process which allows us to progress now. View a summary of the process here. |
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In brief
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We wish you a safe and happy holiday season! |
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For more information on the SH1 Cambridge to Piarere, contact us at c2p@nzta.govt.nz Visit our website nzta.govt.nz/c2p |
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