Nelson/Tasman state highway planned roadworks

Saturday 14 February to Friday 20 February 2026

13 February 2026

State Highway 6 Rocks Road - crews drape mesh netting ready to be secured to rock anchors

Kia ora and welcome

Kia ora,

Welcome to the latest Nelson/Tasman state highway planned roadworks update.

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

If you're travelling, remember to check our 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 12:15pm on 13/2/2026.

SH6 Nelson to Greymouth

SH6 Rocks Road

The southbound lane on SH6 Rocks Road will be closed for three nights on Sunday 15, Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 February between 7pm and 7am as contractors carry out ongoing resilience and slip protection work, clear vegetation and shift protective barriers at the work site.

During this time, stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place from 7pm to 7am between the Bisley Avenue and Richardson Street intersections.

The southbound lane closure is necessary due to the risk of material falling onto the road during this stage of work.

Read our traffic bulletin for more information.

SH6 Brightwater

Road rebuilding work on SH6 in Brightwater that was originally scheduled to begin on Sunday 15 February has been delayed and will now be carried out overnight from Sunday 22 February until Thursday 12 March (no work on Friday or Saturday nights). Crews will rebuild just over 550 metres of State Highway 6 between Factory Road and the Brightwater Deviation. Work will be carried out under stop/go traffic management from 8pm to 5:30am, Sunday to Thursday nights. A reduced temporary speed limit will be in place 24/7 until the work is completed. Expect delays of up to 15 minutes when travelling through the work site. 

At times, entry to, and exit from, State Highway 6 onto side roads within the work site will be closed and short detours will be in place. This is necessary to ensure the safety of our contractors and all road users as we complete the road rebuild. Please follow the directions of traffic management staff onsite.

Read our traffic bulletin for more information.

SH6 Korere

Road rebuild work at this site continues until Friday 20 February. Crews are operating Monday to Friday between 7am and 6pm (although work may be required some weekends). Stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit is in place during work hours. After hours, a temporary speed limit remains in place due to the uneven road surface. Expect delays of up to 15 minutes.

Read our traffic bulletin for more information.

SH6 Granity Narrows and O'Sullivan's Junction

Crews continue with resilience work to help prevent rockfalls at Granity Narrows and O'Sullivan's Junction. Both sites are under stop/go traffic management and 30km/h temporary speed limits in place 24/7 until the end of May. Plan ahead for delays of up to 15 minutes at each site.

O'Sullivan's Junction - 25 min delays on Wednesday 18 February

On Wednesday 18 February, traffic will be held for up to 25 minutes at 10am and then again at 2pm when heavy rock will be removed from the cliff face above the highway. For safety reasons, traffic will not be able to pass through the site while this work is being completed given the potential for debris to fall into the live traffic lanes. Please note, if weather, or unforeseen circumstances mean this work cannot be completed on Wednesday 18 February, Thursday 19 February is the contingency day.  

Read our traffic bulletin for more information.

SH6 Upper and Lower Buller Gorge

SH6 Upper Buller Gorge, Newton Flat

Road surface reconstruction is underway now until Friday 6 March, between 7am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Stop/go traffic management is in place, with a temporary speed limit of 30km/h during working hours. Temporary speed restrictions remain outside work hours due to an uneven surface.

SH6 Lower Buller Gorge

The Lower Buller Gorge will be closed on Saturday 14 February from 8am until 10:45pm for the Buller Gorge Marathon.

Read our traffic bulletin for more information, or visit the Buller Gorge Marathon site for further information.

SH6 Lower Buller Gorge

Excavators are being moved on weekdays in the Gorge until Monday 16 February. Stop/go traffic management is in place from 7am to 5pm. Expect minor delays of up to 5 minutes during this time.

SH6 Nelson to Blenheim

SH6 between Canvastown and Rai Valley

Drainage works at various sites between Canvastown and Rai Valley will be completed by 6pm today, Friday 13 February. Until then, plan ahead for stop/go traffic management with delays of up to 10 minutes.

SH6 Mahers Road 

Work to rebuild a 500-metre section of the highway about 5km north of Renwick begins on Monday 16 February. Work will be carried out Mondays to Fridays, from 7am to 6pm. Stop/go traffic management will be in place during work hours and a 30km/h temporary speed limit will apply at all times. Expect delays of up to 10 minutes. This work is scheduled to be completed by Friday 20 March.

Read our traffic bulletin for more information.

SH60 Nelson to Golden Bay

SH60 Tākaka Hill, Riwaka side

Maintenance work will take place at a number of sites over the next several weeks.

Ongoing until Friday 20 February - The Pines to Rider's Slip 

Intermittent stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit is in place from 7am until 5pm until Friday 20 February as crews complete asphalting, coco mat installation and other works that could not be completed prior to the Christmas holiday period.

Please allow extra time when travelling through this area. These works are weather-dependent and may be rescheduled at short notice.

Cody is known as an enthusiastic team member who is positive and reliable. Along the way Cody has picked up a number of new skills and qualifications that have allowed him to take on extra tasks within the team.

As a born and bred local, Cody takes pride in his work. He loves the feeling of satisfaction after a hard day's work, knowing he’s left the roads looking better than when he started.

Thanks to Cody and our cyclic maintenance crews across the country for ensuring our state highways are well maintained. When you see roadworkers out on the road, travel safely through their worksites, follow signage and any instructions you receive from workers on site, and give them a wave to say thanks for their tremendous work.

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.