TREC Hawke's Bay recovery update

Issue 23

8 August 2025

Tēnā koe,

In this edition we highlight work that’s started on the Tutaekuri Bridge (Waitangi) on State Highway 51 (SH51), share some information on our road renewals projects starting later this year, and wrap up work on our final site between Pūtōrino and Wairoa on State Highway 2 (SH2). TREC has also been recognised with an award that you can read more about below.

Thanks for your ongoing patience and support as we continue our recovery mahi.

SH51 Tutaekuri Bridge (Waitangi) repairs underway

At the Tutaekuri Bridge (Waitangi) on SH51, south of Awatoto, Cyclone Gabrielle recovery work is underway to ensure the long-term safety and reliability of this key transport link.

TREC and local contractors will complete the following work over 5 months:

• Removing debris (currently underway)
• Repairing concrete piles in the river
• Replacing damaged bracing beams (under the cycle path) to restore the structural integrity of the bridge

Work to replace the bracing beams will mostly take place under the bridge so you won’t see it from the road. Please follow the existing 60km/h temporary speed limit and be respectful of our crews so they get home safely to their whānau after each shift.

The bridge remains structurally sound and safe to use during these works.

Upcoming spring/summer road renewals

We are currently planning our road renewal programme in Hawke’s Bay for the spring/summer season. Please see the map below for the locations of these sites.

Renewals work includes rebuilding, resurfacing or resealing existing roads to improve their condition. Our work will start in spring, taking advantage of better weather conditions so new road surfaces have the best chance of longevity. 

Road rebuilds

We’ll be undertaking road rebuilds, where the existing road surface and underlying road structure (pavement) is removed and replaced with new materials in the following locations:

• Devil’s Elbow - a 4km stretch will be fully asphalted. Night road closures will be required
• Sandy Creek - a section just north of the Sandy Creek Road/SH2 intersection where we installed a sheetpile retaining wall
• Tangoio Falls - a section just north of the SH2 intersection near the Tangoio Falls Scenic Reserve tracks
• Te Ngarue – a section south of the Tangoio Falls Scenic Reserve tracks

Reseals

At locations including White Pine Bush and Waikaou Hill we’ll be applying second coat seals. This is part of the resealing process and happens a year after a section of road is rebuilt and a chipseal finish is applied. This second coat locks in the seal to make it waterproof and keeps the road stronger and safer for longer.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) will also be running its usual summer renewals programme. We'll work closely to co-ordinate activity and keep you informed of details. There will be traffic impacts while we undertake this work.

Map of TREC’s planned road renewals work for spring/summer

Thank you Pūtōrino

We joined the NZTA team at a community meeting in Pūtōrino last week to share a snapshot of our remaining local work programme, which is outlined in this newsletter.

Many thanks to the Pūtōrino and surrounding community members who attended. Our TREC team enjoyed connecting with everyone, listening to feedback and answering questions about our work.

We’ll continue to keep you informed as we get closer to completing our recovery work in Hawke’s Bay.

Please get in touch with us if there is anything you missed or would like to ask about.

TREC’s Construction Manager Andrew Shannon talking to community members at the meeting.

SH2 Mohaka Viaduct underslip works completed

Crews have finished stabilising a steep underslip below the road near the Mohaka Rail Viaduct on SH2 where a guardrail (safety barrier) once hung from the road’s edge.

The original guardrail had protected road users from the edge but it was damaged by an overslip from above the road during heavy rain. This slip also forced a large volume of water over the edge of the road which eroded soil and rock, causing the underslip.

We’ve stabilised the underslip by installing 50 micro piles and 25 ground anchors into the slipface to strengthen it. A new guardrail has been installed and once safety assessments have been completed to make sure everything is working as it should, we’ll return the road to 2 lanes.

This is our final Cyclone Gabrielle recovery site on SH2 between Pūtōrino and Wairoa. Thank you everyone for your ongoing patience and support to help us complete this critical recovery work.

Completed work at the Mohaka Rail Viaduct underslip.

Community at the heart of recovery

The collaborative work between TREC, iwi, hapū and local contractors has been recently recognised with a Social Value Through Procurement award.

The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) award celebrates projects that deliver positive social outcomes while also delivering goods, services, or infrastructure.

This award highlights the success of a collaborative approach with iwi and the local contractor network to deliver better outcomes for communities, recognising local solutions to local issues. Thank you to our iwi partners and local contractors for your ongoing mahi. 

Ehara taku toa he toa takitahi
Ko taku toa he toa takitini

The award is not the work of a single entity
But the collective result of the multitudes.

We are proud of the effort of all involved and this award is reflective of those collective partnerships.

Some of the hard-working contractors delivering TREC mahi.

Site Snapshot

SH2 Hawke's Bay North

Underway:

• At Devil’s Corner – Project I we completed the last concrete pour to the foundation beams last weekend and have now started installing the 12m high MSE (mechanically stabilised earth) retaining wall

Upcoming:

• At White Pine Bush we’ll be repairing another underslip and stormwater drainage. This is expected to begin in spring
• At Lake Tūtira we’ll be repairing 2 underslips. Work is expected to start in September
• Additional drainage (culvert) improvements along Devil’s Elbow will begin in spring before we get ready to resurface a 4km stretch of road (see above for list of renewals work). This work will involve night work and road closures

SH5 Napier to Taupō

Underway:

• Repair work on 2 Tarawera culverts began 2 weeks ago and is ongoing

Upcoming:

• At Eskdale Substation, we’ll be repairing the damaged road shoulder with a buttress to support the road. Work is expected to begin in spring
• Further improvements at Captain’s Culvert are expected to start in spring
   

SH2, SH50, SH51 Hawke’s Bay South

Underway:

• Permanent repairs to the Tutaekuri Bridge (Waitangi) on SH51, have begun (see above)

SH38

Upcoming:

• Planning for repairs on 5 remaining underslips is underway. These sites include:
• 2 retreats (road is cut back into the hillside) at Whatapo Bay
• 1 MSE (mechanically stabilised earth) buttress also at Whatapo Bay
• Rosie Bay and South of Kaitawa will require 3 tied retaining walls up to 3.5m high – these require anchors and tie rods below the road to hold the wall top in position

Rail progress

We've added the site numbers below, so you can see the locations on our interactive map. This map is updated every 2 weeks.

Rail
 
We've completed 23 rail sites and have 2 more sites underway:  

• West of Ormondville we’re repairing a shallow landslide above the track and replacing a culvert. We’ll also remove an existing smaller culvert and install a larger diameter culvert (A3012)
• North of Napier we’ll be removing the silt built up during Cyclone Gabrielle and clearing debris from 3 culverts between Tūtira and Wairoa (A7020)

Hastings south culvert improvements:

We’ve completed 10 of 11 culvert replacements underneath the rail lines.

• The remaining site will start soon north of Dannevirke (A9055)
   

Bridge 217 (beside Tutaekuri Bridge (Waitangi) on SH51) repairs are expected to start in 2 weeks with local contractor Napier Sandblasting starting work on corrosion protection.

This will likely be complete towards the end of the year which will be followed by span replacement and berm works. The berm works will take place under the bridge and rail will not be affected.

Whakapā mai – Get in touch

• Email us
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Call us: 0800 80 TREC (0800 80 8732)

If you spot an issue at a work site after hours, call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 444449).

Sign-up to receive these regular newsletters:

• TREC Pānui
• TREC Hawke's Bay regional update
• TREC Tairāwhiti regional update
• NZTA Connecting Hawke's Bay

Local road network

Hawke’s Bay councils are responsible for local roading recovery projects.

• Napier City Council
• Hastings District Council
• Wairoa District Council
• Central HB District Council