SH1 Rolleston Access Improvements

Project Update March 2026

16 March 2026

The first half of the subway and wing walls are now in place. Once the new section of road above the subway is built, traffic will be shifted over and the other half installed.

Busy few months on site

People driving past the site of the new roundabout will have noticed some big changes in recent months, including the installation of the first section of the pedestrian subway. Check out the progress photos in this edition, together with some important alerts about night work and one-lane closures of the highway over coming weekends.

We’re moving forward with Stage 2 of the project too and are now seeking a contractor to build the new bridge over SH1 at Rolleston Drive North along with other highway and intersection improvements. We’ve completed the consenting process, with all construction consents in place and construction of Stage 2 is expected to start in October.

Progress gallery

It was an exercise in precision when the pre-cast concrete sections of subway were lowered into place with a crane last month.

The first 10 of the 14 rectangular sections were lowered to form part of the subway tunnel, which will be 28m long and 5m wide when it’s finished. The first two 7-metre-long wing walls were then put in place, with concrete poured and backfilling started for stability. Lighting, drainage and landscaping have all been planned to help make the subway inviting for pedestrians and cyclists to use.

The pre-cast panels are made offsite from high-density concrete, resulting in more efficient manufacture and installation processes plus greater strength and durability.

The new roundabout is also taking shape thanks to kerb and channel outlining the new approaches and concrete being poured.

Upcoming weekend work

Over the next two weekends, 20-23 March and 27-30 March, our crews will work at night and in the morning to build connections between the highway and the new approaches to the roundabout.

This work has been planned to minimise congestion and disruption to the state highway, getting it done before Easter and the school holidays begin (weather permitting).

During each weekend, the highway will be reduced to one-lane:
• 7pm Friday to 10am Saturday
• 7pm Saturday to 10am Sunday
• 7pm Sunday to 6am Monday

During these times, temporary traffic lights will allow one lane of traffic past the site at a time. Drivers may experience delays of 5-10 minutes at the busiest times, however queues will be monitored by staff and both lanes can be opened if needed.

During the day on Saturday and Sunday, between 10am and 7pm, two lanes of traffic will be open, but the highway surface will be gravel – drivers are urged to take extra care and keep to temporary speed limits. Both lanes will be open and resurfaced by 6am on the Monday morning, ready for weekday traffic.

We appreciate that night work is disruptive for residents, however we can’t close highway lanes during the week due to the higher traffic volumes. The work is weather dependent – any changes to the dates will be notified via VMS boards on the highway.

Walkers Road closure for rail crossing improvements

From this Friday, 20 March, the SH1 end of Walkers Road will be closed for about three months to remove the old level crossing, install a new rail level crossing and build the realigned Walkers and Runners Road. This is a significant piece of work that needs this section of railway line to be closed for safety.

People will be able to access Runners Road and Rolleston Prison from Two Chain Road, and pedestrian access around the worksite will be maintained.

Dunns Crossing Road

As a reminder, on the opposite side of the highway, Dunns Crossing Road is closed at the intersection with SH1. This is because Dunns Crossing Road where it connects to SH1 is being shifted slightly to the west, and a new connection onto the state highway built. 

Once that connection and the roundabout are finished in the coming months, the current section of Dunns Crossing Road that connects to SH1 will be permanently closed and turned into a cul de sac.

Weedons improvements continuing

There’s steady progress at Weedons Road, where we’re making changes to improve traffic flow through the roundabout and reduce queuing on the SH1 southbound off-ramp.

Night works to rebuild the road and install new light poles, traffic loops, and lay asphalt started last night, 15 March  for about three weeks, between 7pm and 6am each night. The SH1 southbound off-ramp and on-ramp will be closed during this time, with local detours in place. Our crews are expecting to finish this project by mid-April.

Speed limit review - thanks for your feedback

Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide feedback on the proposed speed limit change for SH1 Rolleston south. We received 283 submissions during the consultation period.

We’re now reviewing feedback alongside technical and safety information and the requirements of the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024. Once decisions are made, we’ll publish a consultation summary outlining what we heard and how feedback was considered, and notify submitters of the outcome. Click to view proposal details.

More information

For more information see our website and sign up for the newsletter. You can also subscribe for work notices, which will outline the days, time and duration of specific pieces of work that may cause disruption. 

For specific questions email rollestonaccess@nzta.govt.nz