We're making SH2 safer

SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki Christmas Update

With Christmas fast approaching, we are now wrapping up construction for the year on State Highway 2 (SH2) Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki and will return from mid-January.

As people head away for their holiday, traffic volumes are likely to increase, so if you’re on the road, please drive carefully and stick to the speed limit. We want everyone to get where they are going safely.

We wish you a safe holiday and look forward to bringing you more updates in 2023.

We're completing the project in stages

Construction update

As you would have seen in the July project update, the state highway was hit hard by severe weather causing slips, dropouts and flooding in numerous locations.

These disruptions have impacted our schedule, but we are delighted to say the last remaining work site between SH2/Wainui Road intersection, Matekerepu, and Ōhiwa Beach Road, at Lysaghts bridge, is mostly complete.

We expect to start work on the remaining sections (1B and 1C – refer to map above) early 2023. Work will be similar to what has already been completed, with shoulder widening and roadside barriers installed at high-risk locations. This also includes new roadside barrier through the Pohutukawa tunnels, as shown by our artists impression below.

Artists impression of roadside barrier through the Pohutukawa tunnel

Looking forward to 2023

We’re working on the detailed design for both the Waiotahe Valley Back Road and Ōhiwa Beach Road intersection upgrades, and the new SH2/Wainui Road roundabout at Matekerepu, this also involves having discussions with affected landowners.

Early 2023 you can expect to see activity on site with geotechnical investigations kicking things off. In our next update we will provide more details on the work programme and contractor for this work.

This project is being delivered as part of Road to Zero, which sets a target of reducing the amount of people killed or seriously injured on New Zealand’s roads by 40 per cent by 2030.

We look forward to getting back on site in 2023 and continuing to make SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki safer for everyone who uses this road

New roadside barrier along SH2

Stay safe this holiday season

Everyone who travels on our roads deserve to get home to their whānau and friends this summer.

The roads in this region get busier over summer as many travelers visit the beautiful beaches and coast.

Please take care on the road and remember, if you are tired, take a break and be patient with those who may not know the roads as well as you.

Being courteous, remembering to share the road with others and scheduling frequent breaks can help you keep your cool when driving during these times.

Check out our website to learn when and how you can be more alert during the holidays.

More information

For more information on the SH2 Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki project, you can take a look at the project webpage, or if you have any questions, contact Project Manager Roger Greaves at bopprojects@nzta.govt.nz.