Tauriko Enabling Works

Project update

17 April 2025

Tēnā koe and welcome to the State Highway 29 (SH29) Tauriko Enabling Works project update.

The team is gearing up for some exciting milestones, with 2 new Tauriko West intersections set to be in use by May.

You can read more on these below, along with:

• Tauriko Village works
• Whiore Avenue wastewater upgrade
• SH29/Gargan Road watermains upgrade
• Meet the team
• Ōmanawa Bridge replacement

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and Tauranga City Council (TCC) are progressing this programme of work to improve safety and enable development in and around Tauriko.

The new northern access road and entrance to Tauriko School and Playcentre carpark has recently been asphalted in preparation for opening in late April.

New intersection to open in Tauriko Village

A new intersection in Tauriko Village, near where the former service station was, will open with a temporary layout on Tuesday 29 April.

The intersection will provide access to the new, safer Tauriko School and Playcentre carpark. In the future it will link to the planned community in Tauriko West, being developed to help accommodate Tauranga’s growing population.

This intersection will eventually feature additional lanes and be signalised with traffic lights, though initially opening as a give way intersection without lights while the team works on the surrounding infrastructure. This includes constructing retaining and noise walls, stormwater, wastewater, and power upgrades, and widening SH29 to allow for additional lanes and a shared path through Tauriko Village (read more on this below).

The intersection will remain in a temporary configuration until completion in 2027.

More information.

Road users and the local community should prepare for:

Overnight on Wednesday 23 April (6pm to 5am), temporary traffic management including lane closures, rolling blocks, and a reduced speed limit of 30km/h will be in place on SH29 through the Tauriko Village area while the team relocates temporary safety barriers.

Overnight on Monday 28 April crews will complete line marking ahead of opening the new intersection on Tuesday 29 April, in time for Tauriko School’s first day of Term 2.

From Tuesday 29 April there will be a stop/go operation, and temporary speed limit of 30km/h for night works to install safety barriers along the northern side of SH29 in the Tauriko Village, this work is expected to take 5 nights and will continue into the following week.

Upcoming road layout changes in Tauriko Village

As part of the upgrades in the area, we’re widening SH29 through Tauriko Village to make way for new lanes and a shared path. This work gets underway early May, and the following road layout and traffic management will be in place for approximately 1 year:

• All SH29 traffic will be shifted to the southern side of SH29 (Gull side).
• Traffic lanes will be maintained in both directions, along with the flush median in the centre of the road.
• Access to businesses and residential properties will be maintained. However, the shoulder width will be reduced on the southern side of the road, meaning less space for entering and exiting driveways and heading south on SH29.
• This new road layout will enable us to work on the northern (Tauriko School) side of SH29.
• Once the northern side of the highway has been widened, the team will move on to the southern side of SH29. Traffic will be shifted onto the newly built lanes of SH29 on the northern side. We’ll share more details about this closer to the time.
• A temporary speed limit of 60km/h will remain in place throughout Tauriko Village while this work is underway.

We ask that you please stick to all temporary traffic management signage including reduced speed limits and follow any directions from our team.

At project completion, SH29 will be 4-laned through Tauriko Village, making the road wider and safer for road users and the communities that live and work there.

Meanwhile, work to widen Cambridge Road continues, with ground anchors being installed to support the sheet piles before work on the retaining wall begins (see image below).

The new Redwood Lane roundabout, pictured earlier this month, ahead of asphalt being laid.

Redwood Lane roundabout opening soon

Motorists will be travelling through the new roundabout at the intersection of SH29 and Redwood Lane on Thursday 1 May* (under temporary layout).

Traffic will be switched across to the new temporary layout overnight on Wednesday 30 April, with SH29 shifted slightly to the west of the current lanes to approach the new roundabout.

When it opens, it will have 1 lane in each direction while work continues on widening SH29 on the eastern side, along with extending the pedestrian and cycle underpass beneath the road and completing the Kaweroa Drive extension of the roundabout. The Kaweroa Drive extension will eventually be accessed via the leg directly opposite Redwood Lane.

Once completed, the roundabout will have 2 lanes travelling in each direction. It’s expected to be in its final configuration by late 2025/early 2026.

More information.

Road users and the local community should prepare for:

Night works (6pm to 5am) will be carried out ahead of switching traffic onto the roundabout, starting with safety barrier relocation on Tuesday 22 April followed by resurfacing works Sunday 27 April for 5 nights (7pm to 5am).

Overnight on Wednesday 30 April, the team will be line marking and preparing the new road, with the roundabout to be in use on the morning of Thursday 1 May.

These works will involve stop/go, shoulder closures, rolling blocks, and a temporary 30km/h speed limit on SH29.

*Weather permitting.

Watermain upgrades on Gargan Road and SH29

Preparation is underway for a significant upgrade on the Gargan Road watermain which will take place on the southern side of Gargan Road in May, and take approximately 4 weeks.

Once the Gargan Road works are complete, the team will shift focus to the southbound lane of SH29, starting just north of Redwood Lane and working towards the Tauriko Village. Once they reach 810 SH29, the team will carry out night works to trench across SH29 to the northbound side, before carrying on towards Tauriko Village. This work is also expected to take 4 weeks.

While this work is underway, temporary traffic management will be in place including shoulder closures, mobile operations, lane deviations, nighttime stop/go and intermittent resident-only access at Gargan Road.

These works are weather dependent as they involve open trenching to install new watermain pipes before flushing, commissioning and pressurising the pipes.

Wastewater works are underway on Whiore Avenue (pictured in the foreground) ahead of work to create a bus and pedestrian-only access between SH29 and Whiore Avenue.

Wastewater upgrades underway on Whiore Avenue

Work on upgrading the underground wastewater services along Whiore Avenue is underway. This is in preparation for infrastructure upgrades in the area, including a connection to SH29 for buses, pedestrians and cyclists.

Ground investigations began in early April and will be followed by wastewater upgrade works in late April. The work is being completed in phases to minimise disruption for businesses and residents in the area, starting near the Taurikura Drive and Whiore Avenue roundabout, before moving up Whiore Avenue in sections.

Access to businesses and properties will be maintained at all times, however some carparks and berm space will be temporarily required as part of the work sites.

Once the wastewater upgrades are complete, we’ll begin work on constructing a new footpath and future bus stop on the southern side of Whiore Avenue.

On-street parking will remain unchanged once these works are complete. However, in the future a small number of spaces may be removed to accommodate new bus stops and some of the current berm space will be used for the new walking and cycling paths.

Preparing for a new wetland near Takitimu Drive Toll Road

Preliminary works continue at the corner of SH29 and Takitimu Drive Toll Road where the slip lane from SH29 on to the toll road remains closed, during off-peak hours 9am to 4pm, until late April.

This is enabling the team to construct a temporary site access at the corner of SH29 and the Takitimu Drive roundabout for a future wetland area which will eventually function as a natural filter for stormwater-run off.

This site access will be used for carting fill materials (soil) to site for ground improvements, starting with preloading of the wetland area.

Preloading is done before earthworks to improve ground stability and prevent excessive settlement after construction. It involves placing a temporary load (such as soil or aggregates) on the ground to compress and strengthen weak or soft soils, particularly in areas with a high- water content.

Preload material will remain in place on this site for approximately 1 year before earthworks for the wetland can begin. Construction of the new wetland area and upgrades to the stormwater system are planned to start in 2026.

Meet the team – Sajith, site engineer

What is your role and how did you get into this career?

I completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering in India and began my career in New Zealand, working part-time as a labourer while studying project management in construction.

During this time, I secured a role as a quantity surveyor, specialising in detailing reinforcement for commercial buildings and also contributing to landscaping projects.

I have always been passionate about working in the field with a crew to deliver projects, which led me to seek opportunities in site-based roles. This led to an opportunity with Downer NZ, where I joined as a site engineer on the Cameron Road upgrade project in Tauranga, focusing on the three waters sector (drinking water, wastewater and stormwater).

After completing the Cameron Road project I was transferred to the Tauriko Enabling Works project, where I am working at Redwood Lane. Currently, I work as a site engineer, overseeing all 3 waters disciplines for the project.

What is an average day like for you?

Every day, I attend toolbox safety meetings with the crew to understand the day's plan and coordinate with other on-site crews working across various disciplines.

I ensure the 3 waters crew has the necessary paperwork, including briefing plans and permits, to comply with health and safety standards. I also organise the surveyor, coordinate with the project engineer on upcoming work, and ensure subcontractors adhere to quality standards.

I’m also responsible for preparing quality assurance documentation and attending meetings with the design engineer to address design queries.

What is the hardest aspect of your job?

The discipline I work in is quite broad - for instance, before scheduling any work, I must prepare all preconstruction documents, conduct inductions (safety briefings that anyone entering the work site must undertake), and communicate with the stakeholder team, traffic team, and contractors. With so many moving parts, there is always a chance of something going awry, which is one of the more challenging aspects of the role.

That said, I approach the hardest aspects of the job with the mindset that each challenge is an opportunity to learn something new.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The challenges - whether it be design or on-site construction issues. They are all opportunities to find solutions, and I enjoy working as a team to crack them. This problem solving aspect is what I enjoy the most. And lastly, my days fly by because what I do keeps me busy and engaged.

Some of the Tauriko Enabling Works construction team ahead of a friendly football match with Tauriko School students.

Friendly football fun

Some friendly over-the-fence banter between the construction team and children playing ball sports at Tauriko School turned into a bit of competition recently.

The kids have been popping up to the construction fence to say ‘hi’ or ask for the occasional ball to be thrown back as the team works on getting the school’s new carpark ready for opening.

Their chats turned into a request for a match and a game of football was arranged during everyone’s lunch break last week.

The construction team featured an assortment of talent – and plenty of old injuries - while the Tauriko School team included some up and coming superstars with a tad more youth on their side!

A great time was had by all, with Tauriko School winning the match 3-2, much to the delight of their crowd of supporters.

Ōmanawa Bridge replacement geotechnical investigations completed

Design of the new bridge just got 1 step closer, as geotechnical engineers completed investigating the site to inform the detailed design for the new Ōmanawa Bridge and road alignment, which are part of the Tauriko West Road of National Significance.

Understanding the ground conditions is a critical part of making sure a project goes smoothly and reducing risk throughout the construction phase.

Later this month, we’ll start investigating and documenting some of the archaeological sites which have been identified through our initial site assessments. The area where the new bridge will be built is known to be historically significant, and this project has been granted archaeological authority from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

An archaeologist and kaitiaki (cultural monitors) play a crucial role in identifying locations of interest and potential discoveries that may hold cultural or archaeological significance.

Before any main ground-breaking construction works can start, our archaeologist will conduct a thorough site investigation with the help of ground-penetrating radar in some areas. Once potential findings are excavated, they’ll be photographed and surveyed. This information will be included in the final technical report to Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, a legal condition of the archaeological authority for this project.

Together with the archaeologist; a kaitiaki from one of our local hapū Ngai Tamarawaho, Ngāti Kahu and Ngāti Hangarau, will be onsite. Kaitiaki play a vital role in collaborating with the team, identifying changes in soil structure and evidence of archaeology, such as midden pits, food storage pits and Māori artifacts.

While we’re continuing to progress the detailed design, we’re seeking statutory approvals for the works. Pending designation and consenting approvals, the goal is to confirm the programme and move into the construction phase late 2025.

In brief on SH29 works

• SH29 Valley View Road, Kaimai Range: Until late May, temporary traffic management is in place which includes a closure of the passing lane at Valley View Road, lane shifts and a temporary 50km/h and 30km/h speed limit through the work site. This is enabling drainage maintenance and road resurfacing to take place. This work will be completed during the day and night and traffic management will remain 24/7. All lanes will be open over the weekends.
• SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road: Ongoing works in this area for the Takitimu North Link project include the construction of a flyover bridge and southbound slip lane. A reduced speed limit of 70km/h remains in place while crews are working behind the barriers. Traffic is anticipated to be diverted onto the flyover bridge and southbound slip lane in late 2025 while works continue. 

Meanwhile on the Waikato side of SH29…

• SH1/SH29, Piarere: Finishing works continue on the new roundabout, including lighting and landscaping, with all work expected to be completed by mid-2025. More information.

More information

For more information on the Tauriko Enabling Works project:

Email us at bopprojects@nzta.govt.nz

Phone 0800 262 729 (Downer 24/7 freephone)

Visit our website nzta.govt.nz/tauriko-enabling-works