SH3 New Plymouth to Hāwera

Project update

28 March 2025

Now and Then: how the Mangorei Road intersection looks today and an indicative artist's impression of how it will appear once completed in the first half of 2026.

Roundabout takes shape at Mangorei intersection

Users of SH3 south of New Plymouth will have seen the great progress made since work started on the construction of a roundabout and associated improvements at the Mangorei Road intersection last November.

Since then contractors have carried out a wide variety of works, while working hard to minimise disruption for local residents and those travelling through the intersection.

To date the works have included:

• construction of the intersection's kerbing, and channelling for stormwater runoff

• relocation of services including fibre, lighting and power

• drainage works

• shoulder widenings

• driveway reconstructions for nearby affected properties

Work over the coming 2-3 months will include: 

• reconstruction of the road surface and underlying road structure (this work will have an impact on traffic, please see details in the article below)

• construction of the centre of the island/roundabout

• installation of a rain garden in the centre of the island/roundabout, to allow rainwater to soak into the ground

• footpath construction

• installation of new (and upgrading of existing) lighting at the intersection
 

Elsewhere on the project, vegetation clearance has been completed on SH3 between Junction St and Burgess Hill, following lizard salvage and relocation.

Over the coming months at the Junction St intersection, crews will widen the highway to allow for the marking of widened centreline, maintain driveway entrances of residents impacted by the widening, install new stormwater lines, as well as upgrading existing and installing new lighting.

Along the corridor contractors are busy applying second coat seals at various locations where safety improvements have been completed over the last 18 months.

When we rebuild or make changes to the road surface, we apply a chipseal finish and need to come back later to carry out a second coat seal. This locks in the seal to make it waterproof and keep it stronger and safer for longer. To prevent large traffic queues and travel delays on these busy sections of road, the work will be completed at night, when traffic volumes are lowest. 

Design work for further possible safety improvements at sites over approximately 25km between Egmont Village and Eltham is almost complete. These designs will be retained for future use when construction funding becomes available.

Stop/Go traffic management from 30 March

As outlined above, crews will soon commence the reconstruction of the road surface and underlying road structure at the Mangorei Road intersection.

The work involves removing existing road material and replacing it with aggregate and asphalt, to improve the safety and resilience of this busy location.

To complete this as safely and efficiently as possible, this work will be completed at night (6pm-6am, excluding Friday and Saturday nights) under stop/go traffic controls, with access to/from Mangorei Road at SH3 closed during works.

This work cannot be done under contraflow (two-way) traffic controls, so it will be completed at night when traffic volumes are lowest, to prevent large traffic queues and travel delays on this busy section of road.

• This work is scheduled to begin on Sunday 30 March and is expected to take approximately 3 weeks to complete, weather permitting.

• Work will take place Sunday-Thursday each week between 6pm and 6am, weather permitting.

• During the above working hours, the site will be run under stop/go traffic controls on SH3, and access to and from Mangorei Road on both sides of the intersection will be closed.

• During this time, alternative routes for Mangorei Road will be available via Carrington and Baker roads, as well as via Cumberland Street.

• During the day (6am-6pm), and on Friday and Saturday nights, SH3 will return to contraflow (two-way) traffic controls, with access to/from Mangorei Road open.

• In the case of unsuitable weather, work will be postponed to the next possible day.

More information

For more information on the SH3 New Plymouth to Hāwera project, contact us at taranakiprojects@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh3-new-plymouth-to-hawera