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Waikato state highway maintenance programmeSaturday 6 December to Friday 12 December 2025 |
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5 December 2025 |
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State highway maintenance and renewals updateState highways with scheduled works starting this week:
Roadworks may be postponed due to rain or other factors that disrupt the weekly schedule.
Please be aware that there may be other less disruptive state highway works not listed in this newsletter. |
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SH29 Kaimai closure - 7 December for 5 nightsState Highway 29 (SH29) Kaimai Range will close for 5 nights, from Sunday 7 December to Thursday 11 December, between 8pm and 3.30am each night (reopening early Friday morning). These closures are necessary to complete urgent scaling works on the Ruahihi Bluffs near the Ruahihi Power Station. This work will involve abseilers working above the road to dislodge vegetation and rocks from the top and faces of the bluffs. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is taking full advantage of the closures to undertake other work at multiple sites along the highway. This includes structural asphalt rehabilitation, chipseal resurfacing, localised drainage works, road marking and surface repairs at numerous sites along the highway. SH29 plays a critical role in connecting New Zealand’s largest port with the wider Golden Triangle region. With approximately 14,000 vehicles, including thousands of heavy vehicles, using the road daily, maintaining it is essential for safety and accessibility. The detours for this closure are significant and add considerable time to journeys. People are encouraged to check the NZTA Journey Planner and allow extra time for their journey, or if possible, delay travel over SH29 on these nights. Alternative routes
• North: SH2 via Karangahake Gorge, SH24, SH27, SH26 The closure points on the western (Waikato) side are at the SH29/24 and SH29/28 intersections and on the eastern (BOP) side at the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection. More information SH29 Ruahihi Bluffs |
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Thames - CoromandelState Highway 25 and State Highway 25A, road works and potential impacts to journeys. Work starting next week SH25 Pepe Stream Bridge: From Monday 8 to Thursday 18 December testing will take place at the Pepe Stream Bridge. There will be stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit in place while the testing is underway. More information Work underway SH25 Whangamatā: Deck repairs to the Moana Anu Anu Bridge on SH25 on the outskirts of Whangamatā have been extended to include replacing some corroded beams. The road has been closed to all traffic since 29 October and is now scheduled to be open by 19 December. The deck on the bridge (also known as the Wentworth Bridge) needs to be replaced, and other strengthening work is being carried out during the closure. The detour through Whangamatā uses Mayfair Avenue and Martyn Road and adds only a few minutes to normal journey times. |
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West WaikatoWork starting soon SH1/SH29 Piarere intersection: Work to install streetlight ducting continues with shoulder closures and a reduced speed limit of 60km/h in place on all approaches to the Piarere roundabout. This work is expected to take 2 weeks. From Monday 12 January (7am – 6pm) there will be a lane shift and a reduced speed limit of 30km/h in place for 2 weeks, while the team carries out shoulder widening works on the Hamilton-bound lane of SH1. Please take care travelling through while these works are underway. More information Work underway SH30 east of Bennydale (2 worksites): wo road rebuilds kicked off in November, the first started on Monday 3 November with drainage works, followed by a road rebuild with a completion date of Friday 12 December. The second worksite is underway with shoulder and drainage works taking 2 to 3 weeks, followed by the road rebuild taking 2 weeks - completion is expected prior to Christmas. There will be stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit on both work sites. Work will take place between 7am and 7pm each day with stop/go traffic management remaining in place overnight. SH31 Kāwhia Road: Slip repairs are currently underway on SH31 Kāwhia Road. Drivers should expect short sections of stop/go traffic management, and temporary speed restrictions while crews complete the repairs. The first underslip near Hikurangi Road is reduced to a single lane and controlled by traffic lights these will remain in place until approximately 19 December. Traffic management will continue at other slip sites until repairs are completed, which is currently expected by the middle of 2026. During this time, motorists may encounter stop/go operations, temporary speed limits, and short delays. Motorists should allow extra time for your journey, follow all temporary traffic management and posted speed limits, and take care through work areas. |
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East WaikatoSH29 Hamilton to Tauranga: Due to the number of worksites on SH29 between lower Kaimai Range and Tauriko, please allow up to 20 minutes extra time for travel. Check the NZTA Journey Planner for the latest travel information and journey times before starting your journey: journeys.nzta.govt.nz Working starting next week SH29 Kaimai Range overnight closures: The Kaimai Range will close from Sunday 7 December for 5 nights, between 8pm and 3.30am each night, reopening early Friday morning. The road will be closed between the SH29/24 and SH29/28 intersections on the Waikato side and the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection on the Bay of Plenty side. Emergency services will have access at all times. Residents will also be able to access their property from the relevant side of the closure with controlled openings on the hour at some sites. Please note the programmed work at Ruahihi requires 5 nights to complete and is weather sensitive. If this work is unable to proceed for any of these nights due to wet weather, additional night closures will be needed, which we will publicise as early as possible so road users can plan ahead. Depending on the weather some other overnight work on SH29 planned for next week may continue but will operate under single lane stop/go closures and the state highway will remain open. More information SH2 Ngatea: The annual Santa parade will take place on Thursday 11 December between 3pm and 9pm. SH2 will be closed between Darlington Street and Kaihere Road. The detour available will be via Kaihere Road, Hayward Road and Darlington Street. |
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South WaikatoDelays across SH5: People travelling along SH5 between Tīrau and Rotorua during October will encounter three seperate work sites - SH5/SH28 roundabout construction; road maintenance at SH5 near Waiohotu, and road rebuilding at SH5 Tārukenga. People should expect delays and plan ahead. Work starting next week SH4 Makatote Viaduct: From Monday 8 December for 5 days between 7am and 7pm work will begin at the Makatote Viaduct, this includes drainage work, surface repairs and asphalt resurfacing. While the work is ongoing there will be stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit in place. SH1 Lichfield: There will be overnight stop/go on Monday 8 December between 7pm and 6am for chipsealing with stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits in place on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 December to allow the chipseal to bed in and to allow for line marking. SH1 Tokoroa to Ātiamuri: SH1 will be closed overnight on Friday 5 December from the SH1/SH32 intersection the SH1/SH30 intersection between 7pm and 6am. The contractor has added an extra shift to make up for lost time due to rain. Work will resume as normal on Sunday, with work Sunday to Thursday nights. The detour is via SH32 and SH30 and back to SH1 at Ātiamuri and vice versa. This adds approximately 33.6km and 27 minutes to journey times. Work underway SH5 east of Tīrau: Road widening between SH28 Whites Road and Waimakariri Road to allow for the installation of wide centrelines continues until Monday 15 December. Traffic is being managed through the site under speed restrictions with some stop/go. More information SH5/SH28 Harwoods Road: Construction of a roundabout at this intersection east of Tīrau is underway. Traffic is being managed through the site with speed restrictions but access in and out of SH28 at the worksite is now closed until Wednesday 17 December. There is a detour via SH27 and SH29. From 26 November, for about 10 days, there is stop/go on SH5 at a short section of road within the worksite. This runs 24/7. Traffic will be on the new roundabout in March 2026. More information SH1/SH5 Taupō: A Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre is under construction at the SH1/SH5 roundabout. The in-road weigh-in-motion scales on the 5 roads heading towards the safety centre have been installed. Work on camera technology and electronic sign boards is progressing. Work in the lanes has largely finished, apart from an occasional lane closure for a day, but continues on the road shoulders. The centre will be operating in April 2026. More information SH1 Waitahanui: Overnight stop/go is in place at Waitahanui for asphalting. Work is between 7pm and 6am. There are temporary speed limits in place during the day. Please prepare for some delays in this area while work is happening. |
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North WaikatoWork starting next week SH1 Pōkeno interchange to Pioneer interchange: There will be a full southbound closure on Tuesday 9 December between 9pm and 5am for maintenance. Traffic will be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes. The Pōkeno southbound on-ramp and Pioneer southbound off-ramp will also be closed. Please follow the signposted detour via Mercer. SH1 Nikau Road to Pōkeno interchange: There will be a full southbound closure on Wednesday 10 December between 9pm and 5am for maintenance. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes. Stop/go traffic management will in place at Nikau Road and Pōkeno interchange.
SH1 Island Block Road to Pioneer Road: There will be a full northbound closure on Sunday 7 December between 9pm and 5am for maintenance. Traffic will still be able to travel north using one of the southbound lanes. The Mercer northbound off-ramp and on-ramp will be closed as part of this closure. SH1 Te Kauwhata and Rangiriri: There will be a full southbound closure on Sunday 7 December between 9pm and 5am for maintenance. Use the recommended detour via Rodda Road, Te Wharepu Road, Murphy Street, Churchill East Road and back on at SH1 using Rangiriri southbound on-ramp.
SH1 Hampton Downs to Rangiriri: There will be a full southbound closure on Monday 8 December between 9pm and 5am for maintenance. The recommended detour is via Whangamarino Road, Paddy Road, Summertime Lane, Hall Road, Rodda Rd, Te Wharepu Road, Murphy Street, Churchill East Road and back on at SH1 using Rangiriri southbound on-ramp.
SH1 Hampton Downs to Te Kauwhata: There will be a full southbound closure from Tuesday 9 to Thursday 11 December between 9pm and 5am for maintenance. There is a detour via Whangamarino Road, Paddy Road, Summertime Lane, Hall Road and Rodda Road. SH2 Steen Road and SH25 roundabout, Mangatarata: Stop/go traffic management will be in place between 9pm and 5am on Sunday 7 December for resurfacing. Because if the newly laid chipseal there will be a reduced speed limit in place day and night. |
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Waikato summer renewals mapThe map below indicates worksites which may inpact your journeys this summer maintenance season. |
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More information |
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For more information on the Waikato state highway maintenance programme, contact us at waikatomaintenance@nzta.govt.nz Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/waikato-maintenance View our state highway maintenance frequently asked questions. For information about what’s happening with other infrastructure projects across the region please visit Waikato projects website |
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