SH25/SH25A Thames-Coromandel

23 September 2025

Daytime closures for SH25A in November

Daytime closures are needed on State Highway 25A (SH25A)  for 2 weeks in November 2025 for a major road rebuild.

The work will take place from Monday 10 November until approximately Friday 21 November, with the state highway closed from 8am to 5pm Monday to Saturday.

The 2 sites, each approximately 1km long, between Kōpū and Hikuai, are narrow with steep drop-offs, and the work cannot be done safely with the road open.

The road will reopen under single lane and stop/go each evening from 5pm and on Sunday 16 November. Delays can be expected. Dates are weather-dependent.

Critical services such as first responders and school buses will be escorted through the site during the day. All other vehicles will be required to take the SH25 detour which adds an hour to the travel time.

“We hope getting these dates and times confirmed well in advance will help people plan their Coromandel travel during that fortnight,” says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Regional Manager for Maintenance and Operations, Roger Brady.

“We recognise SH25A is a vital link across the peninsula and we would not be closing the road if there was any other way to get this work done safety and quickly.

“The top priorities are the safety of our people and road users, and getting the highway open as quickly as possible.

“We investigated doing this work with stop/go or controlled openings or allowing convoys of traffic through. However, these options are difficult to accommodate at such confined sites and would mean the job would take much longer with increased risk to contractor staff and road users.”

SH25A was closed for most of 2023 after a slip required a new bridge to be put in place.

“The emphasis in 2023 was all about resilience and our contractors got a lot of other work completed on the road during the closure,” Mr Brady says.

“This work was not programmed, funded or resourced at that time.

“We have a busy summer maintenance season across Coromandel and always aim to get works done before the busy holiday period, while trying to minimise inconvenience to road users.’’

This work will follow on from the SH25 closure on the west coast of the peninsula for the deck replacement on the Boundary Creek Bridge.

SH25 closed for 7 days for bridge deck replacement

SH25 closes between Te Mata and Waikawau on the Thames coast for 7 days from Wednesday 29 October for the Bouncdary Creek Bridge deck replacement.

The ageing bridge has been reduced to a single lane since 2023 because of its deterioriated condition. Work to  strengthen and repair the bridge supports and install a new deck will take about 10 weeks to complete and will begin on Monday 13 October 2025.

The road will remain open to traffic during this time, except for
the 7-day closure at the bridge starting at 5am on Wednesday 29 October.

By early December the 2-lane bridge and neighbouring passing bay will be in use, meaning more free-flowing traffic for the peak summer period.

While SH25 is temporarily closed, access will be maintained to all businesses and properties along SH25 up to the bridge from north and south, but there will be no through traffic

It will be business as usual across the rest of the Coromandel while the state highway is closed. You will still be able to get where you need to go, and enjoy everything the region has to offer along the way.

If you’re travelling to areas north of the closure (Coromandel Town, Colville, and beyond), you’ll need to take SH25A to Hikuai and continue via Tairua and Whitianga.

For those heading south from Coromandel Town, simply reverse the route.

Visitors keen to explore the historic town of Thames and along the
coast can still do so, but will need to return the same way before
continuing.

Summer road works programme

There is a busy season of  road works planned on state highways to and from and around the Coromandel this summer.

The above map shows the sites where major works will be underway through until December.

We are taking a careful and considered approach to planning these essential works, minimising impacts as much as possible and avoiding the peak summer holiday rush.

The completed work will mean a safer, more resilient and efficient highway network.

Principal of Te Rerenga School Mary Kedzlie

Peace of mind at the school gate

Schools on SH25 have their Variable Speed Limit (VSL) signs installed and operating. The schools involved are Tapu, Te Rerenga, Tairua, Whangamatā, Opoutere, Te Puru and Whenuakite schools.

For Mary Kedzlie, the principal of Te Rerenga School, there is a strong sense of relief with the recent introduction of lower speeds outside the school during pick-up and drop-off times.

Mary says the change is already making a real difference. “We’ve got children crossing the road, some walking to school, and we have had a parent in a wheelchair who had to get across the road. With no footpaths and a bend that makes visibility tricky, it’s always felt risky. Now it feels safer for everyone.”

The new VSLs, which switch on automatically, have been up and running since early September at Te Rerenga School. Parents, teachers and the bus driver have all noticed drivers slowing down, making pick-ups and drop-offs smoother.

“Our bus driver told me it’s much easier to turn in and out now,” Mary says.

The school was able to share information about how the signs work - which was provided by NZTA - with families through the school newsletter.

“The parents were thrilled,” she adds. “It’s just reassuring to know the children are safer.”

While some Friday-afternoon travellers heading to the beach may wish they could hurry through, locals agree it’s a small price to pay. With heavy traffic from logging trucks, campervans, and holidaymakers year-round, the new VSLs are already proving their worth - keeping the school at the heart of the Te Rerenga village a safer place for everyone.

Speed reviews in Coromandel and Hauraki districts

Consultation remains open until 3 October 2025 for the current speed reviews on SH25 as follows:

SH25 Kūaotunu
Western approach – 1.2km - from about 200m south of Hilldale Crescent, past boat ramp to just before Kawhero Drive. Current speed limit: 70km/h, proposed speed limit: 50km/h.
Eastern approach – 1.1km - from 150m past Blackjack Road to 115m past Cemetery Road. Current speed limit: 70km/h, proposed speed limit: 50km/h.

SH25 Wharekaho
Southern approach – 1km - from near Leah Road to near Harbour Lights Terrace. Current speed limit: 80km/h. Proposed speed limit: 50km/h.

SH25 Thames to Tararu
1.81km from north of Burke Street, Thames, to north of Ash Street,  Tararu. Current speed limit: 70km/h, proposed speed limit: 50km/h

Click here to go straight to the survey to give your views.

If you want to find out more about the reviews including detailed maps and information on the speed reviews in Waihi and Karangahake, please visit www.nzta.govt.nz/waikatospeed

If you need any further information, or have any queries, please email Waikato.speed.reviews@nzta.govt.nz

Pepe Stream Bridge is the southern entrance to Tairua.

Work continues on Pepe Bridge plans

The tendering process continues for the replacement of Tairua’s single-lane Pepe Stream Bridge.

The 2-lane bridge with an attached shared walking and cycling path will replace the current single-lane bridge and a separate pedestrian bridge.

The project team is working through a tendering process for the design, resource consenting and construction of the new bridge. 

The plan is to keep traffic on the old bridge while the new one is built.

A contractor is expected to be signed up by the end of this year, with construction starting in late 2026. The build is likely to take around 12 months, finishing by Christmas 2027.

Bridge work requires detour

Repairs to a bridge on SH25 on the outskirts of Whangamatā will see a detour in place for 5-6 weeks from late October.

The Moana Anu Anu Bridge (also known as the Wentworth Bridge) on SH25 300m west of the intersection of Tairua Road and Port Road, will be closed to all traffic, including pedestrians and cyclists, from 29 October to 9 December.

The repairs include a full deck replacement, new safety barriers, resurfacing and other work which can be done during the closure.

The detour through Whangamatā will use Mayfair Avenue and Martyn Road, due to council watermain works during this period on the usual route via Port Road and Hetherington Road. This will add a few minutes to normal journey times.

The wooden bridge was built in the early 1970s and 2 years ago the bridge piles were upgraded.

More information

For more information on the SH25/SH25A Thames-Coromandel project, contact us at coromandelprojects@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/thames-coromandel