Waikato state highway maintenance programme

Saturday 1 November to Friday 7 November 2025

31 October 2025

Why asphalt?

The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) summer road maintenance programme is in full swing across Waikato, with crews scheduled to continue resurfacing and rebuilding roads through to the end of March 2026. Road resurfacing plays a vital role in infrastructure upkeep, much like applying a fresh coat of paint to a house, it seals out water and protects the underlying layers, helping to prevent potholes from forming. Most road resurfacing and rebuilds are done in the summer months when the temperatures are warmer and there is less rain.

Andy Oakley, NZTA’s System Manager for the Waikato, explained that while asphalt is a strong and durable material, ideal for roads with heavy truck traffic and a solid base, it’s not suitable for most urban areas. He noted many people assume asphalt is always the better choice because it’s stronger and longer lasting, but its durability depends heavily on the condition of the layers beneath it.

Asphalt is manufactured by mixing various sizes of stone into a dense cohesive product that requires significant energy to heat and specialised machinery to apply. In contrast, chipseal is a simpler and faster method. The chipsealing method involves spraying bitumen (think of it as a waterproof glue) onto the road surface, then spreading stone chips over it and rolling them into place.

Due to its complexity, asphalt is about 5 times more expensive than chip seal, factoring in manufacturing, energy, transport, and labour costs.

State highway maintenance and renewals update

State highways with scheduled works starting this week:

• SH30 East of Bennydale
• SH1 Steamfields bridge Taupō
• SH1 Mercer
• SH1 Maramarua

Roadworks may be postponed due to rain or other factors that disrupt the weekly schedule.

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

Check the NZTA Journey Planner for the latest travel information and journey times before starting your journey: journeys.nzta.govt.nz

Thames - Coromandel

State Highway 25 and State Highway 25A, road works and potential impacts to journeys.

Work starting soon

SH25A Kōpū Hikuai Road - closure: Daytime closures are needed on SH25A for 2 weeks in November for a major road rebuild. The work will take place from Monday 10 until approximately Friday 21 November, with the road closed between 8am to 5pm Monday to Saturday. The closure points are SH26/SH25A at Kōpū and SH25/SH25A at Hikuai. All traffic through the closure points by 8am will get through before the daily closure. The road will reopen under single lane and stop/go each evening from 5pm and on Sunday 16 November. Critical services such as first responders and school buses will be escorted through the site during the day. All other vehicles will be required to take the SH25/SH2/SH26 detour which adds an hour to the travel time. More information.

Work underway 

SH25 Kūaotunu: Underslip repairs are underway and the state highway on Kūaotunu Hill is reduced to a single lane. While work is underway the road is expected to remain open with lane shifts, however some short-term closures may be needed. Traffic management and speed restrictions are in place. The repairs are due to be completed in December.

SH25 Thames Coast - closure: From 5am Wednesday 29 October SH25 is closed between Te Mata and Waikawau for 7 days while the Boundary Creek Bridge deck replacement is underway. Work to strengthen and repair the bridge supports is expected to take 10 weeks to complete. The road will remain open to traffic during this time, except for the 7-day closure at the bridge. Traffic lights and a temporary speed limit are in place while the work is carried out. While SH25 is temporarily closed, access will be maintained to all businesses and properties along SH25 up to the bridge from north and south, but there will be no through traffic. The detour is via SH25A to Hikuai and continue north via Tairua and Whitianga. For those heading south from Coromandel Town, reverse the route. More information.

SH25 Whangamatā: Repairs to a bridge on the outskirts of Whangamatā mean a closure and short detour is now in place until about Tuesday 9 December. Urgent deck work is needed on the Moana Anu Anu Bridge (also known as the Wentworth Bridge) on SH25. The bridge closed to all traffic, including pedestrians and cyclists, on Wednesday 29 October. The closure runs 24/7. The detour through Whangamatā uses Mayfair Avenue and Martyn Road, due to council watermain works on the usual detour route via Port Road and Hetherington Road. The detour adds a few minutes to normal journey times.

West Waikato

Work starting next week

SH30 east of Bennydale (2 worksites): Two road rebuilds are kicking off in November, the first is starting Sunday 3 November with drainage works expecting to take 2 to 3 weeks, followed by a road rebuild taking a further 2 weeks - completion expected early December. The second worksite is due to start Monday 17 November with shoulder and drainage works taking 2 to 3 weeks, followed by the road rebuild taking 2 weeks - completion expected mid-December. There will be stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit on both worksites. Work will take place between 7am and 7pm each day with stop/go traffic management remaining in place overnight.

Work starting soon

SH3/30 Te Kūiti: Road resurfacing on SH3 Carroll Street and Awakino Road and SH30 Waitete Road in Te Kūiti starts Sunday 9 November, between 8pm and 6am, and take 7 nights to complete. To enable the work to take place efficiently and safely SH30 Awakino Road will be closed between Carroll Street and Rora Street. Light vehicles will be detoured via Awakino Road, Taupiri Street, Alexandra Street, Rora Street to rejoin SH3. Heavy vehicles, HPMVs and over-dimensional vehicles will detour via Lawrence Street, Te Kūiti Road, ANZAC Street, Jennings Street, Esplanade, Tammadge Street, Sommerville Road and Te Kumi Station. Stop/go traffic management will be in place on SH30 Waitete Road and SH3 Awakino Road and Carroll Street.

Work underway

SH1 Cambridge Expressway: From Tuesday 28 October for 7 days (excluding Saturday and Sunday) between 7am and 5pm each day crews will be undertaking pit testing on both lanes of the Cambridge Expressway between the Tamahere Interchange and the end of the Cambridge Expressway. The southbound lanes will take 5 days and the northbound 2 days, the left hand lanes in each direction will be affected with each test pit requiring a 200 metre lane closure.

SH3 Te Awamutu: Overnight closures are underway, between 9pm and 5am, round the SH3 Cambridge Road roundabout. The work started on Wednesday 29 October, Sunday to Thursday nights, and is expected to take 8 nights to complete. SH3 Albert Park Drive/Ōhaupō Road will be closed to through traffic between Racecourse Road and Sloane Street. Residents will have access at all times. All south-bound vehicles will be detoured via Racecourse Road, Tawhio Street, Alexandra Street and Sloane Street to rejoin SH3 and in reverse for northbound traffic. 
  
SH39 Whatawhata: A road rebuild near Walsh Road, south of Whatawhata, requires a continuous 2-week detour which started on Tuesday 28 October. This follows several weeks of shoulder and drainage work managed under stop/go traffic control. The road will be closed between SH23/SH39 at Whatawhata (north) and SH39/Tuhikaramea Road (south). The detour route via SH23 and Tuhikaramea Road through Dinsdale will add approximately 8-10 minutes to travel times. Inter-regional traffic, particularly freight, is advised to use SH1 and SH3 to bypass the closure.

East Waikato

Work starting soon

SH29 Kaimai Range - closure: The Kaimai Range will close for 5 nights, from Sunday 30 November to Thursday 4 December, between 7.30pm and 4am each night (reopening early Friday morning). These closures are necessary to complete urgent scaling works on the Ruahihi Bluffs, along with routine maintenance, including drain clearing, and road marking and surfacing. Further closure details and more information on access and detours will be provided in the coming week.

South Waikato

Delays across SH5: People travelling along SH5 between Tīrau and Rotorua during October will encounter three seperate work sites - SH5/SH28 roundabout construction; road maintenance at SH5 near Waiohotu, and road rebuilding at SH5 Tārukenga. People should expect delays and plan ahead.

Work starting next week:

SH1 Steamfields Bridge, Taupō: Bridge works will start on Sunday 2 November and take 2 weeks to complete, between 7pm and 6am, each night. There will be lane closures and stop/go traffic management in place for the duration of the work.

Work starting soon:

SH1 Tokoroa to Ātiamuri: We’re returning to do the final surface on approximately 8.2km of SH1 between Tokoroa and Ātiamuri. This overnight work is currently scheduled to start Sunday 9 November and will continue for 20-night shifts. The road will be closed during this work because of the volume of asphalt being laid across lengthy sites. We will complete the northern 2 sites (north of Kinleith Road) first and then shift to the southern sites (south of Kinleith Road) to minimise the length of the detour routes. Work will start at Campbell Road and near the Kinleith overbridge first. From Sunday 9 November, SH1 will be closed overnight between 7pm and 6am, from the SH1/SH32 intersection at Tokoroa to the SH1 Kinleith intersection. Overnight traffic will be detoured from SH1 down SH32, Old Taupō Road, Kinleith Road and back onto SH1. This detour adds approximately 5km and 5 minutes to travel time.

Work underway

SH1 Putāruru to Tokoroa: Overnight work continues using stop/go traffic management on sites between Putāruru and Tokoroa. Work is between 7pm and 6am, Sunday to Thursday nights. During the day there are temporary speed limits. Because of poor weather over the last few weeks, we will be working overnight today (Friday 31 October), the work due to start on the Puriri passing lanes will now start in early 2026.

SH5 east of Tīrau: Road widening between SH28 Whites Road and Waimakariri Road to allow for the installation of wide centrelines continues until Monday 15 December. Traffic is being managed through the site under speed restrictions with some stop/go. More information.

SH1 Taupō to Tūrangi - Motuoapa: Enabling work was expected to start at the southern end of Motuoapa this week and will continue until approximately Friday 7 November, using daytime stop/go. This work is weather dependent. Daytime work is Monday to Friday, between 7am and 6pm. Outside of working hours, the road will be open under temporary speed restrictions. 

SH1 Hatepe Hill: Overnight work continues using stop/go traffic management. Work at Hatepe is Sunday to Thursday, please prepare for some delays. 

SH1/SH5 Taupō: A Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre is under construction at the SH1/SH5 roundabout. The in-road weigh-in-motion scales on the 5 roads heading towards the safety centre have been installed. Work on camera technology and electronic sign boards is progressing. Work in the lanes has largely finished, apart from an occasional lane closure for a day, but continues on the road shoulders. More information.

SH5/SH28 Harwoods Road: Construction of a roundabout at this intersection east of Tīrau is underway. Traffic is being managed through the site with speed restrictions but there will be a closure of SH28 at the worksite from Thursday 13 November to Wednesday 17 December. Traffic will be on the new roundabout in March 2026. More information.

North Waikato

Work starting this week

SH1 Mercer interchange to Island Block Road: There will be a full southbound closure from Sunday 2 to Wednesday 5 November between 9pm and 5am for maintenance. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes. 

SH2 Between Monument Road and Dimmock Road, Maramarua: Stop/go traffic management will be in place on Monday 3 November between 9pm and 5am for maintenance.

Waikato summer renewals map

The map below indicates worksites which may inpact your journeys this summer maintenance season.

More information

For more information on the Waikato state highway maintenance programme, contact us at waikatomaintenance@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/waikato-maintenance

View our state highway maintenance frequently asked questions.

For information about what’s happening with other infrastructure projects across the region please visit Waikato projects website