Nelson/Tasman state highway planned roadworks

Saturday 20 December to early January 2026

19 December 2025

Work to repair damage to multiple sites on SH60 over Tākaka Hill caused by severe storms in June and July is almost complete. The road will be fully open to 2 lanes by Christmas.

Kia ora and welcome

Kia ora,

Welcome to 2025's final Nelson/Tasman state highway planned roadworks update. We'll take a break over Christmas and New Year's, and expect to publish our next issue on January 9.

This weekly newsletter will keep you informed about what’s happening across the region’s state highways so you can plan ahead.

If you are travelling, remember to check Journey Planner for the latest updates on road conditions. 

Please feel free to share this newsletter with whānau and friends, anyone can sign up to stay informed.

The information outlined below is current as at 1pm on 19/12/2025.

Roadworks over the Christmas and New Year period

All non-essential roadworks will pause for the main holiday period, with contractors shutting down sites from midday Friday 19 December until Monday 5 January at the earliest.

You may still see some of our crews out on the roads repairing potholes, responding to incidents, or wrapping up essential work (such as the recovery work on Tākaka Hill, which will be completed by Christmas -- see below for more information).

They're out there to help make sure your journeys are safe and smooth, so please give them space and patience so they can finish their work and get home to spend time with their families too.

SH6 Nelson to Greymouth

All ongoing sites will be open to 2 lanes with normal speed limits over Christmas and New Year's. Work will resume from the following dates:

SH6 Rocks Road

From Monday January 5, crews are expected to restart abseil work above road. However, there should be no impact on road users

SH6 Granity Narrows 

From Tuesday 13 January, crews are expected to resume rockfall resilience work at Granity Narrows between Kawatiri and Owen Junction. From that date, stop/go traffic management may be operating and reduced temporary speed limits are likely to be in place 24/7 until the end of May 2026.

Read our media release for more information.

SH6 Coal Creek, south of Owen River Bridge

From early next year, more work is likely to be done to reinforce the riverbank, but this should have minimal impact on road users.

SH6 Dellows Bluff

From Tuesday 6 January, crews will return to carry out further resilience work on the slip face. After that date, stop/go traffic management may be operating and reduced temporary speed limits are likely to be in place.

SH6 O'Sullivan's Junction

From Tuesday 13 January, crews are expected to resume rockfall resilience work at O’Sullivans Junction, close to the intersection of State Highways 6 and 65. From that date, stop/go traffic management may be operating and reduced temporary speed limits are likely to be in place 24/7 until the end of May 2026.

Read our media release for more information.

SH60 Nelson to Golden Bay

SH60 Tākaka Hill, Riwaka side

Recovery work at a number of sites is very close to finishing, but has been delayed by recent bad weather. Crews are completing tasks such as line marking and mowing over the next several days. Expect minor delays of up to 5 minutes at some spots.

However, the road will be fully open to two lanes by Christmas. Early next year, crews may need to complete some final work, but the impact on road users is likely to be minimal.

Holiday driving tips

With the holiday season upon us, we encourage you to stay safe on the roads. Here are simple steps everyone can take to ensure they reach their destinations safely.

• Watch your speed and following distances and always overtake safely.
• Always wear a seatbelt and ensure all your passengers are buckled up too.
• Always drive to the conditions. If the weather is bad, slow down, avoid sudden braking, and turn your headlights on if visibility is poor. Be safe, be seen.
• Never drive when tired. If you're on a long trip, take breaks to stay alert.
• Avoid distractions. Never use a cellphone while driving.
• Before you head away, check your vehicle and perform basic maintenance. Inspect tyres, lights, indicators, windscreen wipers, etc.
• Check the road conditions before you travel. Our holiday journey planner provides details on when traffic congestion will be at its worst. We urge you to use it to plan your trips and avoid busier travel periods.

Driving in the holidays

Vehicle safety

Holiday Journeys

More information

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

All work is subject to weather and other unforeseen circumstances. In the event of unsuitable conditions, work will be rescheduled to the next suitable workday.

For more information on the Nelson/Tasman state highway maintenance programme, contact us at Nelson-Tasmanmaintenance@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/sh-maintenance-programme/nelson-tasman

For information on Marlborough, West Coast or Canterbury state highway maintenance,  where you can sign up for newsletters that cover other regions.