Hawke's Bay state highway planned roadworks

Friday 19 December 2025 to Friday 16 January 2026

19 December 2025

Artist’s impression of the new second Tutaekuri River Bridge, as part of the State Highway 2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway Roads of National Significance project. Piling work begins from Monday 12 January, see below for more information about the traffic impacts.

Kia ora, here’s our final Hawke’s Bay state highway update for 2025.

At midday today, roadworkers downed tools for the Christmas and New Year break, unless essential. Roadworks will begin again from Monday 5 January.

Summer is prime time for road renewals and roadworks, so expect plenty happening in January and February. Today we’re giving you a heads-up on what’s you can expect to see on the state highway network in the first 2 weeks of 2026. We’ll be back with the next update on Friday 16 January.

If you’re travelling on the state highways these summer holidays, check Journey Planner or Facebook for the latest information.

Take care on the road this summer.

Ngā mihi nui,

The NZTA Hawke’s Bay team

Information current as at 2:35pm on 19/12/2025

2026 upcoming roadworks

Upcoming closures:

• SH38 between Lake Waikaremoana Holiday Park and Tuai: Overnight closures resume from Monday 5 January to Saturday 28 February, Sunday to Friday nights, 8pm-6am (6 nights a week). More information.
• SH2 Devil’s Elbow: Overnight closures starting Sunday 18 January to Thursday 5 February, Sunday to Thursday nights, 9pm-5am (5 nights a week) for asphalting. More information.
• SH2 HB Expressway, between Taradale Road and Meeanee Road: Overnight closures starting Sunday 25 January to Thursday 26 February, 8pm-5am each night. Detours available, more information below.

State Highway 2 Hawke's Bay Expressway

Work is ramping up next year on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) project with multiple work sites active along the expressway. Here’s what to expect:

SH2 south of Tutaekuri River Bridge to Links Rd/Pākōwhai roundabout

• Installation/relocation of the steel barrier along the northbound lane on Tuesday 6 January, 8pm-5am
• Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place, with up to 10 minute delays.

SH2 north and south Tutaekuri River Bridge

• From Monday 12 January to early July, we’ll install piles for the new Tutaekuri River Bridge. Expect several 5-to-10-minute traffic stops, Monday to Friday, between 10am-2pm
• The stops are required to safely lift the 36-metre-long piles into place using a crane.
• Delays, including queue clearance, will be 10-20 minutes. The maximum number of stops per day are 4. This schedule will repeat until July 2026.
• No detours will be in place. More information.

SH2 at Meeanee Road overpass

• Overnight closures starting Thursday 8 January to Thursday 22 January (Sunday to Thursday), 8pm to 5am each night
• During the closure, the flexible median barrier will be removed and the road will be resurfaced.
• Traffic in both directions will be diverted off SH2 at the Meeanee Road off-ramps and back onto SH2 via the on-ramps. Expect minor delays.
• During the day, 2 lanes will be open under a 70km/h temporary speed limit.
• The overpass will reopen 5am, Friday 23 January.

SH2 Taradale Road roundabout to Meeanee Road

• Overnight closures starting Sunday 25 January to Thursday 26 February, 8pm-5am each night. No work on Fridays and Saturdays. 
• Work includes flexible median barrier removal, temporary paving, line marking and the installation of temporary safety barrier.
• Detour suitable for all vehicles including HPMV via Meeanee Road, Lee Road, Gloucester Street and Taradale Road (and reverse). Overdimensional vehicles and emergency services will be escorted through the site.

Take extra care when driving on the Expressway
Work sites are active near the Taradale Road roundabout and Tutaekuri River Bridge, with another planned at Meeanee Road to start early next year.

Please take extra care when driving through the expressway. Your patience helps keep everyone safe - thank you.

More information about the HB Expressway RoNS project.

State Highway 2 North

The following locations are single lane:

• SH2 Waikare Gorge – Acrow bridge is a priority give way.
• SH2 under Mohaka Rail Viaduct – automated traffic lights are in place due to safety reasons through this narrow section of road.

Coming up in the new year:

SH2 Devil’s Elbow

• Overnight closures for final asphalting by the Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) alliance starting Sunday 18 January until Thursday 5 February. Sunday to Thursday nights, 9pm-5am (5 nights a week) for asphalting. More information.

SH2 north of White Pine Bush

• Road rebuild expected to start Monday 12 January until Thursday 29 January
• Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limit will be in place, with up to 15 minute delays.

SH2 Whirinaki

• As part of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s flood mitigation project, the temporary diversion road at Whirinaki will come into use from early January.
• The diversion, located near the Contact Energy generation site and the PanPac seed orchard, is expected to open on Monday 5 January. Please take care and follow all signage instructions.

SH2 between Bay View and Westshore

• Preparation work for the in-road scales as part of the Napier Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre (CVSC) project starting Monday 12 January until Thursday 22 January, day and night
• The work involves rebuilding a section of the southbound lane with asphalt. This is necessary to prepare the road for the future in-road scales.
• A temporary bypass will be in place with a 50km/h temporary speed limit. Expect minor delays. More information.

Our first rebuild site of the season completed on SH2 near Iwitea Road, Wairoa

State Highway 2 Central Hawke's Bay

SH2 between Victoria Street and past Racecourse Road, Waipawa

• Starting on Sunday 11 January for 6 nights of nightworks of resealing, 7pm-6am each night
• Stop/go traffic management and 30km/hr temporary speed limit will be in place, with up to 10 minute delays. 

State Highway 5 Napier to Taupō

SH5 north of Glengarry

• Road rebuild expected to start Tuesday 6 January to Wednesday 14 January, Monday to Friday, 7am-6pm
• Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place, with up to 10 minute delays.

State Highway 38 Wairoa to Waikaremoana

SH38 between Lake Waikaremoana Holiday Park and Tuai

• Overnight closures for underslip repairs by TREC resume Monday 5 January to Saturday 28 February 2026, Sunday to Friday nights, 8pm-6am each night (6 nights a week)
• No viable detour, emergency services will be assisted through the site. Traffic bulletin and Facebook.

SH38 various locations

• Pavement maintenance will resume from early January until end of March 2026, Monday to Friday, 7am-5pm.
• Stop/go traffic management with up to 10 minute delays.

State Highway 50

SH50 Prebensen Drive/Hyderabad Road roundabout

• Crews will be returning in mid-January to complete the retaining wall as part of ongoing safety improvements.

SH50 Prebensen Drive/SH2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway roundabout

• Work for the Napier CVSC is underway until end 2026
• No delays are expected as the work is off to the side of the road and a shoulder closure is in place. More information

The weigh in motion preparation work on SH50 in Ahuriri for the Napier CVSC is now complete. We'll be back next year to install the plates, we’ll let you know when.

State Highway 51

SH51 Taradale Road, between Hyderabad Road roundabout and Alpers Terrace

• Starting early January, expect road layout changes and detours as part of Napier City Council’s stormwater culvert upgrade project. More information.

SH51 Tutaekuri Bridge (Waitangi)

• Bridge repairs by TREC are ongoing until mid-December, 7am-6pm
• 60km/hr temporary speed limit and occasional stop/go traffic management is in place. Traffic bulletin.

Tips for safe driving on your summer holiday

Drive to the conditions, allow plenty of time and take regular breaks to stay alert.

• Be patient when driving this summer so everyone can relax and enjoy the holidays together.
• Keep a safe following distance from vehicles in front so you can stop safely.
• Drive to the conditions - whether it's the weather, the road you're on, the time of day or the volume of traffic on the roads.
• Take regular breaks to stay alert.
• Allow plenty of time. You're on holiday, no need to rush.

More information

Please note there may be other minor state highway works not listed in this update.

All work above is carried out on behalf of NZTA, unless otherwise stated.

For more information on the Hawke's Bay state highway maintenance programme, contact info@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 regular updates about recovery work on Hawke’s Bay state highways. To receive these, sign up on their website here. For questions about TREC activity, please contact info@trec.nz.