Waihī to Ōmokoroa safety improvements update

First, a special thank you to everyone who’s travelled through the worksites during the year for your patience and consideration of the health and safety of our road workers.

Typically, we have 8-12km of traffic management set up and spread over 4-5 different locations at one time, and around 30-40 pieces of machinery. We acknowledge delays can be frustrating, especially when you are travelling the road daily.

This is a vital safety upgrade project for the region, and we’re looking forward to seeing it completed as much as you are.

As we head into summer, we would like to take this opportunity to share an update on the past 12-months, it’s been a huge year of work on the project and highlights include:

• The ongoing restoration of the Waiau wetlands near Athenree.
• Katikati roundabout at Rea Road / Tetley Road made operational
• Receiving over 500 pieces of public feedback, helping to shape the design of the median barrier between Tetley Road and Esdaile Road (we will be sharing proposed designs early 2023, read more below).
• Completing the 5.8km section between Athenree Road and Tanners Point Road.
• Close to completing the safety improvements north of Katikati.

We’re excited about adding to this list in 2023.

Looking ahead to the festive season, this is one of the busiest times of year on our roads, so we stop work from midday Wednesday 21 December to make your journey through the area easier, and so our teams can enjoy a well-earned holiday.

Although no work will be taking place during this time, the area will still be a construction site. All barriers and temporary layouts will remain in place, along with temporary speed restrictions. Work will start up again Monday 9 January 2023.

Looking ahead to 2023

It’s shaping up to be another busy year as we continue to progress the construction of Morton Road roundabout and the design of flexible median barrier between Katikati and Ōmokoroa.

We will be sharing the designs with the community early 2023 - these are currently going through an independent safety audit. Once this is completed, people will have the opportunity to see the planned layout of the road.

Another major milestone to look forward to in 2023 will be the completion of the Morton Road roundabout, and work starting on roundabouts at Sharp Road and Lockington Road / Matahui Road.

More information about public open days will be shared when details are confirmed.

Read FAQ about flexible median barrier here

Takitimu North Link project update

The Takitimu North Link project is now one year into construction and making great progress with environmental controls in place, site accesses established, five bridges in construction, a site office opened and critical utilities relocation work underway.

The team has focused on setting up the site for its first full earthworks season this summer and getting major bridge structures into construction. This has included vegetation and site clearance and building haul roads from SH29 / Takitimu Drive Toll Road, through Smiths Farm, Wairoa Valley, and a 145m construction bridge over the Wairoa River.

Utility services are also being relocated as part of this phase of the project, this work is important as water, electric, and broadband fibre cables are critical services to the community. In addition to this, an enormous programme of environmental controls, archaeological investigations and ecological work has also been underway across the 6.8km site.

Work has begun on five bridges to be built across the project, with the first phase of the Wairoa River bridge completed - a temporary bridge for construction (pictured). 

The Cambridge Road overbridge piling is finished and the new Harrison Road alignment nearly open. Locals in this area may notice an increase in truck movements along Moffat /Cambridge Roads over the summer months as earthworks ramp up in the Smiths Farm area at Tauriko/Bethlehem.

Read the December issue of the Contractor’s Newsletter out now

Kindergarten children gift name to 280 Tonne crane

There are days in the world of construction, that are a little bit magic. Some of our teeniest neighbours, tamariki from Te Puna Kindergarten, visited the Takitimu North Link project team on site recently – to gift a very special name to the 280 Tonne crane - Crusher Gordon.

After many rounds of brain storming, involving princesses and marvel characters, the children settled on Crusher Gordon in memory of the late Gordon Burr, who had a very close relationship with the kindergarten. Farmer Burr lived next door and opened up his property to the tamariki to learn about all things farming and growing. The Takitimu North Link project team, Fulton Hogan and HEB Construction, recently welcomed the youngsters onto site for a close up look at Crusher Gordon, along with the 120 tonne Mini Crusher Gordon, which are being used to construct the bridges at Minden Gully.

Ka rawe te mahi ngātahi!

Watch the video here

Maintenance Update

Resealing of the state highway between Waihī and Ōmokoroa has started, with work being undertaken in the lead-up to Christmas, weather permitting.

Work will be undertaken at night, between the hours of 7pm and 6am, to minimise disruption to road users. Where works are taking place stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h will be in place to keep road users and our crews safe. For up to 48 hours after sealing a temporary speed limit of 50km/h will be in place, until the road is swept and line marked. To see exactly where crews are working each day please check our journey planner for live updates of active worksites.

In total more than 27 lane kilometres will be resealed; crews will return from mid-January to complete any remaining sites that are unable to be sealed before the holiday break.

Road resealing forms part of our commitment to providing a safe and accessible state highway network. This work forms part of our wider annual road maintenance programme across the national state highway network.

To view a map of the full programme please click here.

More information

Read the SH2 project overview booklet out now

For more information on the SH2 Waihī to Tauranga Corridor project, contact us at bopprojects@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/Waihi2TGA