West Coast and Alpine Passes state highway planned roadworks

Tuesday 20 to Monday 26 January 2026

19 January 2026

Kia ora,

Welcome to the latest West Coast state highway planned roadworks update.

To stay updated on road conditions before you travel visit Journey planner

Below is current at 3pm on Monday 19 January 

SH6 Upper and Lower Buller Gorge

SH6 Lower Buller Gorge: Resealing work will take place on 20 January at Ohikaiti, Nine Mile, and Ohikanui. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 15 minutes expected.

SH6 Lower Buller Gorge: Ventia will be moving machinery around. A 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place, but no major delays are expected

SH6 Westport to Greymouth

SH6 Four Mile River: Resealing will take place south of the river on 24 January. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 15 minutes expected.

SH6 Meybille Bay: Rock scaling will take place weekdays from 20-26 January. Expect stop/go with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit, and delays of up to 30 minutes.

SH6 Canoe Creek: Resealing will take place on 24 and 25 January. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 15 minutes expected.

SH6 Cobden Bridge Greymouth: Sign relocations will take place 20-23 January. Expect a 30 km/h temporary speed limit with no delays expected.

SH6 Greymouth to Franz Josef

SH6 Fergusions Bush: Resealing work will take place on 24 January. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 20 minutes expected

SH6 Whataroa: Resealing work will take place on 23 January. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 20 minutes expected.

SH6 Franz Josef to Haast Pass

SH6 Fox Glacier: The highway shoulder will be closed while crews work on water connections. A 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place.

SH6 Pleasant Flat: Road stabilising and repairs are underway on weekdays from 20 to 26 January. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place, with delays of up to 10 minutes expected.

SH7 Lewis Pass Waipara to Greymouth

SH7 Rahu Saddle: Edge break repairs will take place on 20 January. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 10 minutes expected.

SH7 Reefton to Springs Junction: Resealing will take place at Waterfall Corner on 25 January. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 15 minutes expected.

SH7 Reefton to Maimai: The road will be fully closed for 48 hours from 8am on 25 January to 8am on 27 January for an essential culvert replacement.  A long detour will be in place. See our Traffic Bulletin for more information. Preparation for the work is taking place for the week up to Sunday 25 January. Expect stop/go and short delays.

SH7 Reefton to Ikamatua: Resealing will take place at Slab Hut Creek on 20 January. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 15 minutes expected.

SH7 Ngahere: Guardrail repairs will take place at Red Jacks from 20 to 23 January. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 10 minutes expected.

SH73 Porters and Arthurs Pass

SH73 Arthurs Pass Village at Wardens Creek: Pavement repairs will take place from 20 to 26 January. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 10 minutes expected.

SH73 Otira: Washout repairs are underway from 20-26 January with stop/go traffic management and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit in place. Expect short delays.

SH73 Kumara: Crews will be installing driveways on weekdays from 20 to 26 January. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 10 minutes expected.

SH6 Kumara Junction: Resealing work will take place on 20 and 21 January. Stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and delays of up to 20 minutes expected. The temporary speed limit will remain in place overnight.

Other West Coast highways

No significant works scheduled for this week.

SH8 Lindis Pass

No significant works scheduled for this week.

Planning around the weather on the West Coast

The West Coast of the South Island is known for its unpredictable and extreme weather, which makes long-term planning for road maintenance particularly challenging. While our teams monitor forecasts closely, they can only confirm work programmes about a week in advance with any real certainty and even then, plans may need to change at short notice.

Because this newsletter covers a large geographical area, it's important to note that weather conditions can vary significantly from one part of the Coast to another. Sudden changes are common, and they directly impact when and where our crews can operate.

To ensure a high-quality finish, road safety, and long-term resilience, our teams 'chase the good weather', taking advantage of favourable conditions whenever and wherever they occur. This flexible approach allows us to make the most of short weather windows and deliver the best possible outcomes for the network.

More information

For more information on the West Coast state highway maintenance programme, contact us at TheAlpinePassesMaintenance@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/sh-maintenance-programme/west-coast