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Hawke's Bay recovery

28 August 2023

Tēnā koe,

Welcome to our latest update about the roading network in Hawke’s Bay.

Good progress continues on State Highway 2 (SH2) amid challenging chilly and wet conditions. A number of safety improvement works are also underway across the region which will make our highways safer for all road users.

We’ve had snowfall impact the Napier-Taupō road in recent weeks so please take care on the roads and drive to winter conditions.


	State Highway 50 Waipawa River Bridge works The Waipawa Bridge on State Highway 50 (SH50) opened on Friday 25 August – which is good news for everyone who has been having to detour for up to 30 minutes while it was being repaired. Torrential rain washed away one of the bridge approaches in late June, closing the stretch of highway between Tikokino and Ongaonga. Since our crews started repairs in July, they’ve used approximately 16,000 tonnes of aggregate, 5000 tonnes of limestone, and three-and-a-half rugby fields worth of geo-stabilising fabric to provide extra strength and resilience. We know this closure has been disruptive and thank the community for their understanding. Our job of restoring this vital link has been made much easier with your support. Images: Before and after photos show the incredible mahi to get SH50 back open following the washout.


	Improvement works on SH2 south at Pakipaki From Monday 28 August roadworkers will complete improvement works on SH2 (Hawke’s Bay Expressway) at Pakipaki. These works will include the installation of bricks and planting behind the existing kerb at the 80km/h signs and the installation of bricks in the traffic island closer to the roundabout. To do the works in the raised island as fast and safely as possible, we need to close the northbound lane from Pakipaki roundabout to Miriama Road from Monday 11 September to Wednesday 13 September between 7am and 5pm. On all other weekdays from Monday 28 August to Friday 15 September between 7am and 5pm, there will be a Stop/Go with a 30km/h temporary speed restriction in place. The southbound lane will always remain open. Traffic travelling north will be detoured via Railway Road South and Longlands Road. Residents access and school access via Pakipaki village will remain open. Image: Improvement works are taking place on SH2 at Pakipaki.


	Progress update on SH5

Crews continue to make positive progress on State Highway 5 (SH5). The repair works at the Esk underslip between Glengarry and Te Pōhue are a couple of weeks behind schedule and will now be completed in early September.

Repair works at the large underslip at Elands are expected to be finished at around the same time. The road at both locations will then re-open back to two lanes - a huge milestone in our recovery efforts.

Meanwhile, crews are making good progress at the Captain’s culvert scour repairs between Te Pōhue and Te Hāroto (where the road is down to one lane). All materials have been transported to site and we estimate that it will take around six to eight weeks to fix the damage caused by the cyclone.


	State Highway 51 safety improvements Road workers have worked at pace to install new side and median barriers on State Highway 51 (SH51) between Awatoto Road and Waitangi Road in Napier. As part of the safety improvements we're making to SH51, the workers are also widening and sealing the road. To improve safety, the SH51/Waitangi Road intersection has changed to one-way into Waitangi Road. This means you can turn into Waitangi Road from SH51, but you can't exit from Waitangi Road onto SH51. The Awatoto Road/SH51 intersection further north can be used to turn back onto SH51. We're expecting the next stage of the project to start in September - this includes the installation of side and median barriers between Awatoto Road and Ellison Street, and roadworkers will be repairing portions of the existing road. Construction of the permanent roundabout at Awatoto will begin in early 2024. Image: The SH51/Waitangi Road intersection has changed to one-way into Waitangi Road.


	Safety improvements underway on State Highway 50 Work is underway on the second stage of making State Highway 50 (SH50) /Hyderabad Road safer for all road users. Traffic management is in place on Battery Road at the intersection with SH50/Hyderabad Road as a pedestrian island is built, along with an extension to the footpath and safer crossings for prams and wheelchairs. Works have started in the southern lane of Battery Road, restricting it to entry only from SH50/Hyderabad Road. Works will then change to the northern lane of Battery Road, restricting it to exit only onto SH50/Hyderabad Road. There is a detour route via Lever Street. A 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place, with crews expected to be working in the area during the day (excluding weekends) until early to mid-September, depending on weather conditions.


	State Highway 38

Crews are continuing their hard mahi on State Highway 38 (SH38) with ongoing repair works on underslips on the road.

Next week, road workers will begin to fix the Waiau underslip at the intersection of SH38 and Titirangi Road. Meanwhile, repair works on a large underslip at Waikaretaheke river are expected to start as soon as an overhanging fibre cable has been safely removed, and this will occur most likely this or next week. Our teams are also finalising the design for repair for another underslip at Waikaretaheke river. This site has also been high on the priority list.


	Stay safe on the roads this winter Say it ain’t snow! Winter weather is continuing to bring a chill to highways across the motu and to areas of Hawke's Bay. This August we’ve seen weather warnings issued as a result of snow on the roads, including on SH5 between Napier and Taupō. Travellers are reminded to switch your headlights on, slow down, increase your following distance and be prepared for unexpected hazards when driving in winter conditions. Please also check road and weather conditions before your journey. Keep up to date with the latest weather warnings available on MetService's website here: metservice.com/warnings For the status of state highways, check out our interactive Highway Conditions Map here: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions Watch: The video below has some tips for how to stay safe behind the wheel this winter.

Meet the team - Linda Stewart Director of Regional Relationships

What's your role?
I’m accountable for our relationships with our senior local government partners, local MPs and Ministers across the Central North Island. I also take the lead in building and managing relationships with other key regional partners and stakeholders. My role means that I walk with a foot in Waka Kotahi and a foot in our communities. More often that not, my role is to find a way to navigate through complex and often political situations, to ensure we all achieve positive outcomes.

What's something you're proud of amid the recovery efforts?
Following Cyclone Gabrielle there was a real desire to work collectively as a region to make progress, and to get the work done as efficiently as possible. It wasn’t always easy and smooth but when challenges arose, we worked together to find a way through them regardless of our role or organisation. The real-time feedback and responsiveness from everyone across the region was heartening – something I wish we could bottle up and use in our work every day.

What, in your view, is the most critical consideration as we plan for the future of our state highway network?
As well as considering what needs to improve so that our state highway network is more resilient if an event of this magnitude was to happen again, it’s critical that we consider what we will need from the transport network overall in the next 30-50 years. This includes local roads and state highways, public transport, walking and cycling, and importantly the villages, towns, and cities that they connect – how do those that live and work in the region want to be able to get around into the future. We have an opportunity to begin to plan, and then invest and build that future from today onwards.


	Keep up to date

It’s a challenging time to travel around Hawke’s Bay. Please plan ahead and drive to the conditions.

Traffic updates: Hawke’s Bay
Facebook: Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency - Hawke's Bay and Gisborne
Twitter: Waka Kotahi CNI
Journey planner: Hawke’s Bay
Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)


	More information

For more information on the recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle, see the dedicated Hawke’s Bay Cyclone Recovery section on the Waka Kotahi website. You’ll find all the latest updates, FAQs, and information on the road ahead, all in one place.

You can also contact us at hawkesbay.response@nzta.govt.nz

Subscribing to this newsletter

As Hawke’s Bay recovers from Cyclone Gabrielle, this e-newsletter is designed to keep you updated on our progress, any changes and things you need to know. You are receiving this e-newsletter today as you have previously registered your interest in matters affecting our state highway network in Hawke’s Bay. Please share it with others who may find the information useful or, alternatively, you can unsubscribe.

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Hawke's Bay recovery

Tēnā koe,

State Highway 50 Waipawa River Bridge works

Improvement works on SH2 south at Pakipaki

Progress update on SH5

State Highway 51 safety improvements

Safety improvements underway on State Highway 50

State Highway 38

Stay safe on the roads this winter

Meet the team - Linda Stewart Director of Regional Relationships

Keep up to date

More information

Subscribing to this newsletter