Canterbury state highway planned roadworks

Tuesday 3 to Monday 9 March 2026

2 March 2026

Kia ora

Welcome to the latest Canterbury state highway planned roadworks update.

As we head into the end of the chipsealing season, the changing weather begins to have a bigger impact on when and where we can work. Over the coming weeks, our crews will be moving around the network to make the most of suitable weather windows and complete the remaining programmed sites.

For updates and real time travel information check Journey Planner before you travel

Information current as at 1.00pm 2 March

Speed limit consultations in Canterbury closing soon

Have your say on proposed speed limit changes for targeted locations in Canterbury. These locations are short sections of state highways through Amberley, Rolleston, Halswell, Norwood, Waddington, Kirwee, Sheffield and Temuka. 

You can view the proposals and provide feedback online by 5pm, 6 March. Fill out the short surveys – choose the locations that matter to you.

SH1 Christchurch to Picton

SH1 Waikuku: Night work for chip sealing will take place on 5 March from 8pm to 5am. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 20 minutes expected.

SH1 Hapuku: A road rebuild is underway between Factory Road and Skevingtons Road until 31 March. Work will take place on weekdays from 6am to 6pm, with some weekends as needed to keep the project moving. Stop/Go traffic management will be controlled manually and by temporary traffic lights, with delays of up to 15 minutes.

SH1 Peketa: Seawall repairs will now continue until 7 March from 6am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with delays of up to 15 minutes expected. Twice a day, the road will be held in both directions for up to 20 minutes so an excavator can be lowered or raised below the road during low tide. 

SH1 Waipara at Church Road: Road rebuild day works will continue until 13 March, Monday to Friday, between 6am and 6pm. A lane will be closed under Stop/Go traffic management with a temporary speed limit in place.

SH1 Seddon: Drainage works to clear the high shoulder and unlined channels will take place on Monday 2 March and Tuesday 3 March from 6:30am to 6:30pm. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, and delays of up to 5 minutes are expected.

SH1 Lake Grassmere: Drainage works to clear the high shoulder and unlined channels will take place from Wednesday 4 March to Friday 6 March, between 6:30am and 6:30pm. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, and delays of up to 5 minutes are expected.

SH1 north of Spring Creek: Work is underway to rebuild a one kilometre section of highway with construction due to be completed by the end of March. Both lanes reopened 20 February, but a 30km/h reduced temporary speed limit  remains in place until this project is complete.

SH1 Freeths Road: Chipsealing will take place on Thursday 5 March from 7am until 6pm at the Freeths Road intersection. Stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place. Expect delays of up to 10 minutes. In the event of bad weather or unforeseen circumstances, the contingency day for this work is Friday 6 March.

SH1 Christchurch to Dunedin

SH1 Rolleston at the intersection with Dunns Crossing Road: Work is continuing on the Rolleston Access Improvement project. As part of building the new roundabout, 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. Until the new layout is complete, there is no access into Dunns Crossing Road from SH1

SH1 Archibald Street, Tinwald: The road will be closed in both directions between Agnes Street and Hassall Street from 9pm to 5am, Tuesday 3 March to Thursday 12 March, for resurfacing. A detour via Agnes Street, McMurdo Street, and Hassall Street will be available for vehicles up to 50MAX. HPMVs and over-dimension vehicles will be held on SH1 and escorted through the worksite. SH1 will reopen to two lanes each day from 5am until the next night shift. The site may be unattended at times, with uneven surfaces and temporary speed restrictions remaining.

SH1 South of Ashburton at the Longbeach Rd Intersection: Road reconstruction continues until 18 March. The site will operate as a single lane during the day from 7am to 6pm,  northbound traffic will detour via Winslow Westerfield Rd and Maronan Rd, while southbound traffic stays on SH1. Night works from 6pm to 7am will use temporary traffic lights for both directions. Weekends will have two lanes open under speed restrictions. Delays of up to 15 minutes are expected. (See detour map below)

SH1 Timaru, between Grants Road and MacDonald Street:  Road repairs have been underway from 24 February for about three weeks. Work runs weekdays between 7am and 7pm. A 30 km/h temporary speed limit is in place, using the same traffic management as the current culvert replacement project with some additional signage. Expect congestion on SH1 and disruption to nearby side streets.

SH1 Makikihi to Morven: Road repairs continue until 20 March, between 8am and 5pm. Stop/Go traffic management and a 30km/h speed limit are in place, with delays of up to 10 minutes. The site may be unattended at times, and temporary speed restrictions will remain.

SH1 TY Duncan Road intersection Oamaru: Road repair night work will take place from 8 to 10 March between 6pm and 7am. Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place. Expect delays of about 5 minutes.

SH1 Oamaru Weaver Street: Road repairs will take place from 2 to 6 March between 6am and 7pm. Expect delays of about 5 minutes.

SH1 Oamaru Harlech Street: Traffic light maintenance will take place from 2 to 6 March between 6am and 7pm. Expect delays of about 5 minutes.

SH1 Kakaho Creek: Road rebuild work continues on weekdays until 6 March between 6am and 7pm. Stop/Go traffic management and temporary speed limits are in place, with delays of up to 10 minutes expected.

SH1 Bushey: Highway road rebuild work will take place from 2 to 6 March between 6am and 7pm. Expect delays of about 5 minutes.

SH1 Mill Road Waikouaiti: Road sealing will take place from 9 and 10 Marchbetween 6am and 7pm. Expect delays of about 5 minutes.

SH1 South of Ashburton at the Longbeach Rd Intersection

24 February to 18 March, the site will operate as a single lane. Daytime works from 7am to 6pm will detour northbound traffic via Winslow Westerfield Rd and Maronan Rd, while southbound traffic stays on SH1.

Northbound only detour

Key state highways across the Canterbury Region

SH8 Pleasant Point to Fairlie: Chip sealing is taking place near Cave on 3 and 4 March. Expect delays of up to 15 minutes at peak times. This work is weather dependent and may be rescheduled at short notice.

SH75 Halswell Road, between Dunbars Road and Curletts Road: Work continues on the improvements project, particularly between Augustine Drive/Monsaraz Boulevard and Curletts Road. Please follow signage and the 30 km/h speed limit through the work area.

SH75 near Cooptown: Sealing works will take place on 4 March from 6am to 6pm. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 20 minutes expected.

SH77 near Winchmore: Road resealing will take place from 4 and 5 March between 7am and 6pm. Expect delays of up to 10 minutes. This work is weather dependent and may be rescheduled at short notice.

SH79 Kakahu: Road reconstruction continues from Hall Road to Howe Road until 31 March. Temporary traffic lights will manage traffic with a 30 km/h speed limit in place, including when the site is unattended. Expect delays of up to 15 minutes.

SH82 Hakataramea Highway (Waimate to Ikawai): Pavement and surfacing repairs will continue until 31 March The sites will operate under daytime stop/go with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit. This work is weather dependent and may be rescheduled at short notice. Some sites may be unattended, with temporary speed limits in place. Expect delays of up to 10 minutes.

SH82 Waihao North River Bridge: Work to replace the bridge is underway. Crews have installed a temporary bridge next to the Waihao North River Bridge. The existing bridge is now reduced to one lane and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit is in place.

SH82 Elephant Hill Stream Bridge: This bridge is being replaced. A temporary bridge has been installed at this site and a 30km/h speed limit will be in place.

More information

Please be aware that there may be other less disruptive state highway works not listed in this newsletter. Work is often weather dependant and can be postponed and rescheduled.

Check for traffic updates on Journey Planner

For more information on the Canterbury state highway maintenance programme, contact us at Canterburymaintenance@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our Canterbury State Highway Maintenance website 

For information on West Coast and Alpine Passes state highway maintenance, visit our website where you can sign up for the West Coast and Alpine Passes newsletter