Hawke's Bay state highway planned roadworks

Saturday 18 October to Friday 24 October

17 October 2025

Kia ora,

Welcome to this week’s issue of the Hawke’s Bay state highway planned roadworks update.

This weekly newsletter provides you with information about what’s happening across the region’s state highway network – from the summer road renewals to key recovery work – so you can plan ahead.

Heads-up for next week: With Hawke’s Bay Anniversary Day kicking off the long weekend, there’ll be a moratorium on state highway works from next Friday. This means roadworkers ‘down tools’ on public holidays unless approved to work. It also means this newsletter will be in your inbox on Thursday, instead of Friday.

Dates in this update may change at short notice due to weather or other unforeseen factors. Check Journey Planner for the latest state highway conditions.

If a state highway is not included in this update, there are no major or disruptive works planned for that corridor. 

Ngā mihi nui,

The NZTA Hawke’s Bay team

Information current as at 1:33pm on 17/10/2025

Upcoming roadworks

Upcoming closures:

• SH51 Clive Bridge: 6 night closures, Sunday 2 November to Friday 7 November, 8pm to 4am each night for bridge maintenance. More information.
• SH2 between Waikoau Hill and Aropaoanui Road (Devil’s Elbow): Overnight closures starting Sunday 16 November to Friday 5 December for culvert repairs. More information.
• SH38 between Lake Waikaremoana Holiday Park and Tuai: Overnight closures starting Monday 1 December to Wednesday 17 December, Monday 5 January to Saturday 28 February, Sunday to Friday nights, 8pm-6am (6 nights a week). More information.

State Highway 2 North

SH2 Waikare Gorge (north of the Acrow Bridge)

• Monday 29 September for about 4 weeks, 7am-6pm
• Drainage improvement repairs by Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) alliance, stop/go traffic management with up to 5 minute delays and temporary speed restrictions will be in place. More information.

SH2 Waikare Gorge (Acrow Bridge)

• Ongoing, 24/7
• Due to worksite disestablishment, stop/go traffic lights with up to 5 minute delays will be in place. More information.

SH2 Sandy Creek

• Monday 13 October to late November, 24/7
• Due to a road rebuild by TREC, stop/go traffic management with up to 10 minute delays and temporary speed restrictions will be in place. More information.

SH2 Lake Tūtira

• Monday 22 September to late November, 24/7
• Due to 2 underslip repairs by TREC, stop/go traffic management with up to 10 minute delays and temporary speed restrictions will be in place. More information.

SH2 Devil's Elbow (various sections)

• Ongoing until end of December, 24/7
• Nightworks started Sunday 13 October for 3 weeks
• Due to recovery work by TREC, stop/go traffic lights with up to 10 minute delays will be in place. More information.

SH2 between Waikoau Hill and Aropaoanui Road (Devil’s Elbow)

• Sunday 16 November to Friday 5 December, Sunday to Thursday, 9pm-5am each night (5 nights a week)
• Full road closures at nights for culvert repairs and road rebuilds by TREC. No viable detour, emergency services will be assisted through the site. Media release and Facebook.

SH2 White Pine Bush

• Monday 13 October to late November, 24/7
• Due to underslip repairs by TREC, stop/go traffic management with up to 10 minute delays and temporary speed restrictions will be in place. More information.

SH2 between Westshore and Bay View

• Nightworks starting Monday 27 October to Tuesday 18 November, Sunday to Friday, 8pm-5am each night
• Due to chipsealing and asphalting, stop/go traffic management with 5-10 minute delays will be in place at nights. A 50km/h temporary speed restriction will apply during the day. Traffic bulletin.

SH2 various locations

• Ongoing in October, daytime
• Due to pre-seal repairs, stop/go traffic management with up to 5 minute delays and temporary speed restrictions will be in place.

State Highway 2 Hawke's Bay Expressway

SH2 Omahu Road roundabout

• Ongoing, 24/7
• The inside lane of the roundabout is closed in all directions until further notice due to Hastings District Council’s wastewater improvement project. Expect delays and use alternative routes where possible. Traffic bulletin.

State Highway 2 Central Hawke's Bay

SH2 Takapau, north of Norsewood (cross regional boundary)

• Monday 13 October to Thursday 23 October, 6am-6pm
• Due to road rebuild and drainage work, stop/go traffic management with up to 5 minute delays and 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place.

State Highway 5 Napier to Taupō

SH5 Tarawera

• Monday 21 July to November, Monday to Friday, 7am-6pm
• Due to culvert repairs and erosion protection by TREC, stop/go traffic management with up to 5 minute delays will be in place. More information.

SH5 Captain’s Culvert

• Monday 22 September for about 5 weeks, Monday to Friday, 7am-6pm
• Due to road rebuild by TREC, stop/go traffic management with up to 5 minute delays and temporary speed restrictions will be in place. More information.

SH5 Eskdale Substation

• Monday 22 September for about 8 weeks, Monday to Friday, 7am-6pm
• Due to road shoulder repairs by TREC, stop/go traffic management with up to 5 minute delays and temporary speed restrictions will be in place. More information.

SH5 various locations

• Ongoing to November
• Due to various work by TREC and pre-seal repairs, stop/go traffic management with 5-10 minute delays and temporary speed restrictions will be in place. Map of TREC sites here.

State Highway 38 Wairoa to Waikaremoana

SH38 between Lake Waikaremoana Holiday Park and Tuai

• Nightworks starting Monday 1 December to Wednesday 17 December 2025, and Monday 5 January to Saturday 28 February, Sunday to Friday nights, 8pm-6am (6 nights a week)
• Full road closures at night for underslip repair work by TREC. No viable detour, emergency services will be assisted through the site. Traffic bulletin and Facebook.

State Highway 51

SH51 Tutaekuri Bridge (Waitangi)

• Ongoing, 7am-6pm
• Due to bridge repairs by TREC, a 60km/hr temporary speed limit and occasional stop/go traffic management will be in place. Traffic bulletin.

SH51 Clive Bridge

• Sunday 2 November to Friday 7 November, 8pm-4am each night
• Full closure of the bridge for 6 nights of maintenance, signposted detours available and emergency services will be assisted through if required. Facebook or traffic bulletin.

Roadworker of the Week

This week’s Roadworker of the Week is Bryne Hancy, a Leading Hand with Higgins here in Hawke's Bay.

Bryne leads a team that undertakes a range of maintenance on the state highways in our region like repairing broken signs, filling in potholes, setting up emergency traffic management and clearing accident debris or fallen trees from the road – no 2 days are the same!

Read more about Bryne’s story on Facebook.

Thanks to Bryne and the team for looking after the state highways. When you see roadworkers out on the road, travel safely through their worksites, follow the signs and any instructions from them. You might also want to give them a wave as you pass by!

What was different this time is how they managed traffic. The crew adopted a smarter, more flexible method that balanced safety with efficiency. Instead of just using the traditional stop/go setups, they used a combination of stop/go and mobile operations.

Mobile operations involve roadworkers doing the work between two slow-moving traffic management vehicles. The vehicle following the roadworkers has an attenuator, or crash cushion, to protect workers and equipment from oncoming traffic.

This new way of working meant drivers didn’t have to wait as long and the crew got more done safely and quickly.

There won’t be any road surface renewals for SH38 this summer maintenance season, however, there is a busy time ahead with recovery work starting in December. Learn more here.

More information

Please be aware that there may be other less disruptive state highway works not listed in this newsletter.

All work listed above is being undertaken on behalf of NZTA, unless otherwise stated. 

For more information on the Hawke's Bay state highway maintenance programme, contact us at HawkesBaymaintenance@nzta.govt.nz, visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/sh-maintenance-programme/hawkes-bay or call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49).

The Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) alliance sends a regular newsletter about the recovery work on the state highways in Hawke’s Bay. If you’d like to receive these, you can sign up at their website here. If you have any questions about TREC activity, please contact info@trec.nz.