North Auckland state highway maintenance programme

Saturday 28 February to Friday 6 March

27 February 2026

Completed sections of the SH1 Helensville township rebuild. With the road in poor condition, we were pleased to start earlier than planned as resources became available. One final night of work is expected on Sunday 1 March, weather permitting.

Kia ora and welcome

Welcome to this week’s North Auckland state highway maintenance roadworks update.

In this e-news, we share updates on roadworks across the state highway network from State Highway 16 (SH16) between Wellsford to north of Woodhill and State Highway 1 (SH1) between Wellsford to north of Warkworth.

Ngā mihi nui,
The NZTA Northland/North Auckland team

Upcoming roadworks

State highways with scheduled works this week:

• SH16 – Tauhoa, Helensville

Roadworks may be postponed due to rain or other factors that disrupt the weekly schedule. Please note 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: https://journeys.nzta.govt.nz/.

Information current as at 2:43pm on 26 February 2026.

State Highway 1 – Wellsford to Warkworth

No significant works scheduled for this week.

State Highway 16 – Wellsford to Woodhill

SH16 Tauhoa, between Ingleton Road and Port Albert Road
Stabilisation repair work will take place from Monday 2 to Friday 6 March, from 8am to 5pm. A single lane closure with stop/go traffic management and speed restrictions will be in place.

SH16 Helensville, near Baker Street
Road resealing will take place on Sunday 1 March, from 7pm to 7am. A single lane closure with stop/go traffic management and speed restrictions will be in place.

Rebuilding roads: what lies beneath

What you see on the surface is only one part of the road. Beneath the asphalt or chipseal are several layers that carry the weight of every vehicle and keep everything stable. When those deeper layers start to deteriorate the surface may still look okay for a while – but cracks, potholes and other problems will keep coming back.

That’s why some parts of Northland and North Auckland’s state highways need full road rebuilds. This isn’t just a fresh layer of asphalt or another layer of seal. Crews dig deep to replace the structural layers beneath the surface, rebuilding the road from the ground up. In some areas, this can mean excavating up to 900mm to strengthen the entire foundation. 

Rebuilding gives the road a fresh foundation and typically extends its life by around 20–25 years, with only occasional resurfacing needed during that time. It’s a bigger job upfront, but it results in a smoother, safer highway – and fewer potholes and patch-ups in the future.

This process takes time. Each layer must be prepared, laid, compacted, and tested as we build up the road. After applying the first seal, we return 6–12 months later for a second coat. That gap allows the materials to settle and helps prevent “flushing” – when excess bitumen or emulsion (in other words, the glue we use to bind everything) rises to the surface, making the road look slick and reducing friction between the road and your tyres.

These works can take several weeks. But there’s no practical way to rebuild a road this deep without some disruption such as detours or temporary access changes. For example, it isn’t safe to drive over a dug-out worksite, but we work closely with residents and businesses to keep disruption to a minimum.

The result is higher-quality state highways that will serve Northland and North Auckland for decades to come.

This season we’ve already completed major rebuilds such as on SH1 Towai, SH12 Oue Hill and SH10 Oromahoe. Work is currently under way at key sites including SH10 Kaingaroa, SH12 Paparoa and SH1 Helensville. Upcoming key sites include SH1 Whakapara (stage 2), SH12 Hodgson Road to Wallace Road and SH16 near Inland Road, with more rebuilds scheduled over the coming months.

A full list of current, upcoming and completed sites is available on our website.

Click here to see a larger version of the graphic below.

More information

For more information on the Northland/North Auckland state highway maintenance programme, contact us at info@nzta.govt.nz or 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 444 449)

Visit our website nzta.govt.nz/northland-state-highway-maintenance

View our state highway maintenance frequently asked questions

For information about what's happening with other infrastructure projects across the region visit Northland projects website