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SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance project updateSection updates: Putāruru to Lichfield expected to open tomorrow, 5 April. |
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4 April 2025 |
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In this week's issue:
• Putāruru to Lichfield and Ātiamuri to Wairakei: Update Current closures 2 closures between Tīrau and Taupō:
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SH1 Putāruru to Lichfield and Ātiamuri to Wairakei: UpdateWe know you can’t wait, and we’re excited to let you know State Highway 1 between Putāruru and Lichfield will be reopening tomorrow Saturday 5 April, weather dependent. The section will open under temporary traffic management before being swept, line marked and returned to the permanent speed limit. We are also planning to open Ātiamuri to Wairakei on the morning of Wednesday 9 April, also under traffic management. We had anticipated opening this section at the end of this week. Unfortunately the amount of rain forecast means we cannot confidently open it with the fresh seal. Fresh seal, rain and more than 10,000 vehicles per day do not make a happy mix. We will need to return to sweep and line mark this section following the 2025 ITM Taupō Super 440 event happening between Friday 11 and Sunday 13 April. There is 9km of line marking to complete between Ātiamuri to Wairakei. We explained why we open under traffic management and the traffication process in last week’s newsletter. We don’t share exact times for opening because we want traffic to travel smoothly through the new sites. We also want to avoid traffic lining up at a specific time waiting for the sections to open. We’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we completed this work. We know it hasn’t been easy and road closures cause significant disruption and frustration. We are confident this was the most efficient way of completing the large volume of work needed to improve these sections of SH1 and minimise future disruption on these sections of the state highway. |
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Caveat: Weather dependentWe’ve had amazing weather this road maintenance season that has allowed us to complete a huge amount of work, not just on T2W, but around the motu. As we send out this newsletter, including our plans for next week, it comes with a caveat - weather dependent. If it rains heavily when chipseal has not been properly bedded in, vehicles can force water into the surface layer and around and under the stone chips, loosening chips and resulting in pothole formation. We also can’t lay asphalt in the rain as the surface may not bond properly leading to a subpar finish and we would most likely need to revisit sites, leading to more disruption. Line marking is also not able to be completed in the rain because the paint can lift. The road maintenance work season typically goes from 1 October to the end of March. Generally, the weather is more settled during this period and our work is less impacted by rain and cold temperatures. We’re right at the end of that season now and with a front moving across New Zealand, all work is weather dependent. |
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Meet the crewWe have some great people working on the T2W project. The people employed on this project were chosen, not just for their experience and specialist skills but also for their passion for the job. They’re committed to delivering road users a better driving experience on the sections of SH1 they’re working on. People like Richard Leach who works for Evolve Roading, one of the 32 subcontractors engaged on T2W. The project represents the largest volume of work they have been involved in. He hopes you enjoy the smooth new ride. In his words... "enjoy the new road and drive safely.” |
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Watch Richard's video by clicking on the image above. |
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Road scienceWe're using more than diggers and heavy machinery to carry out road maintenance and rebuilding. When the big trucks, diggers, graders and rollers are done we use laser technology to capture how smooth the new surfaces are and ensure they meet safety, driver comfort and vehicle longevity standards - in plain speak that means a nice smooth finished surface to drive on. These Hawkeye vehicles have lasers mounted to their roof that capture data as they drive through our sites. The laser beams capture roughness, road levels and camber - that’s the slight curve in the road away from the centerline that helps water run off the surface and helps with vehicle stability, particularly around corners. This Hawkeye was working at Putāruru earlier this week making sure everything was up to standard ready for you to drive on.
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It’s a big job: What’s left to do on T2WThe end of the road maintenance season is in sight and that means the Tīrau to Waiouru Accelerated Maintenance project will be taking a hiatus too. We will have 2 more newsletters, the final for this season on the Thursday before Easter. You will then hear from us as the programme for next season is developed and we can share our plans with you. There is a big programme of work still needed next season. SH1 Desert Road is open now and we will be returning to do the final surfacing there, most likely under stop go and at night. We will also be returning to Tokoroa to Ātiamuri, Ātiamuri to Wairakei and East Taupō Arterial do final surfacing work there too. We will also carry out the maintenance and road rebuilding that is needed on SH1 between Taupō and Tūrangi and the Tīrau township.
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Hi-tech weigh stations being installed at TaupōWhile T2W takes a hiatus you may see some work happening around the SH1/SH5 roundabout off the East Taupō Arterial. It’s not part of the T2W project but NZTA contractors are working on a hi-tech weigh station. Five sites leading to the new Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre are having in-road weighing technology installed and from late April into early May these will be coned off for 30 days to cure the asphalt before the technology is installed. It may look like nothing is happening beyond the cones, but we are readying the asphalt for installing weigh-in-motion scales and associated technology. If we don’t let it cure it can crumble when we make the precise cuts to install the scales. We also can’t have traffic running over the asphalt as it has been installed at precision levels, so the scales work properly when they’re installed. These are being installed on 5 of the roads heading towards the safety centre:
Temporary lanes have been built on the road shoulders to allow traffic to pass around the work areas. Speed restrictions are in place and only minor delays are expected. The Taupō weigh station is 1 of 12 facilities NZTA is building on high-volume freight routes around the country for NZ Police to operate. |
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Further speed reviews including on SH1 TurangiThere are additional speed reviews which are now open for consultation that you may be interested in. The consultation is now live on our website and runs until 14 May 2025. |
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More information |
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This work forms part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund. Please pass this on to others who may be using SH1 in the next few months and encourage them to sign up to this newsletter by using the subscribe button below. For more information or any concerns on the SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru maintenance, please email us. Visit our website nzta.govt.nz/t2w Check out Journey Planner before you leave for your travels - it will show you the best routes! |
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