Connecting Tairāwhiti

Project update

14 September 2022

Tēnā koe,

The Connecting Tairāwhiti programme is making it easier and safer to travel around and between Northern Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is working together with regional and community partners to significantly improve safety and driver experience on our state highways, create employment opportunities, and provide a more resilient roading network for local communities.

You can see more about all the Connecting Tairāwhiti projects on our interactive map here.

To ensure our communities are kept informed on repair works along SH35 following the recent weather events, we will be issuing more frequent updates, including traffic bulletins, using this email address.

If you would like a translated Te Reo version of this e-newsletter, please email connectingtairawhiti@nzta.govt.nz.

Image: Enabling works at Kopuaroa Hill are underway.

Gearing up for the summer construction season

Our state highways will be busy this construction season (approx. October – March), with a raft of projects funded by Kānoa – Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit.

To improve resilience along SH35, the key sites we will be focusing on are:

• SH35 Kopuaroa Hill improvements: Road realignment
• SH35 Turihaua Point and Pouawa: Rock protection
• SH35 Busby’s Hill improvements: Soil removal to stabilise slope and installation of retaining wall and new southbound slow vehicle bay

To improve safety and passing opportunities along SH35 and SH2, the key sites we will be focusing on include:

• SH35 Tatapouri Hill slow vehicle bay
• SH35 Puketiti Hill slow vehicle bay extension
• SH2 Mohaka Viaduct Ascent southbound slow vehicle bay
• SH2 Otoko Hill southbound seal widening
• SH2 Waikoau Hill slow vehicle bay extension

Video: Take a behind scenes look at the earlier planning stages for Kopuaroa Hill with our SH35 Resilience Senior Project Manager Richard Bayley.

Kopuaroa Hill improvements get underway

Enabling works including tree felling and power pole relocation are now complete on a project to stabilise SH35 at Kopuaroa Hill, approximately 10km north of Te Puia Springs.

This was required before starting the main improvements, which will involve cutting into the uphill embankment and moving the road onto more stable ground.

Waka Kotahi is engaging with key partners and stakeholders and will soon confirm a start date for the main work to get underway.

Image: Coastal erosion at Turihaua Point in April 2022.

Coastal protection at Turihaua Point and Pouawa

Resilience work is soon to get underway at Turihaua Point and Pouawa in the way of rock revetment. This is a way of absorbing the energy from waves and water. Revetment prevents and reduces coastal erosion. Consenting has taken longer than expected due to the coastal environment, however the rocks from the local Waerengaokuri Quarry are ready to go. We expect our teams to be in there as soon as the consent is granted.

Image: Native plantings on State Highway 35 at Pakarae.

SH35 Pakarae planting

More than 500 native plants have been planted alongside SH35 at Pakarae as part of our SH35 Resilience Programme.

The plants are from the local native garden nursery and there are eight different species including manuka, harakeke and kanuka.

This wetland is both ecologically and culturally significant and the plants will assist with providing habitat for native wildlife, preventing erosion and avoiding sediment entering the surrounding environment.

SH35 summer construction drop-in sessions

Drop in for a cuppa and a chat with our team about the work planned up SH35 this summer construction season. Some of the work includes resilience improvements, native planting, maintenance and ongoing emergency works.

Your local Waka Kotahi team will be up the coast in October, and we will use this email address and the Connecting Tairāwhiti website to confirm the dates and venues as we have them.

Image: Contractors installing erosion protection at Waikoau Hill, 1km south of Lake Tūtira.

Work resumes on Waikoau Hill slow vehicle bay

Contractors are back on the tools at Waikoau Hill, near Tūtira, working hard to extend a slow vehicle bay on SH2.

Since mid-August, Russell Roads has been installing erosion protection on the cliff faces and completing drainage and pavement works. Once finished, the slow vehicle bay will be 360 metres, giving drivers plenty of time to pass. The project is expected to take around seven weeks to complete and will run until early October. A 30km/h speed limit and stop/go traffic management will be in place between 7:00am and 7:00pm and delays of up to five minutes are expected. After 7:00pm, the shoulder will remain closed and a reduced speed limit of 50-70km/h will be in place.

Image: Tree felling on State Highway 2 between Napier and Wairoa.

Trees give way to slow vehicle bay at Mohaka Viaduct Ascent

Contractors have been busy felling trees on SH2 near the iconic Mohaka Viaduct between Napier and Wairoa. It’s the first step toward a new slow vehicle bay for the southbound lane, which will improve driver journeys from March 2023.

The wood from these trees will be delivered to the local community, where it will help keep homes toasty and warm next winter.

Image: Slip on State Highway 2 at Waikoau Hill, north of Napier.

Slip repair works continuing

Repair works on a number of slip sites on SH2 are progressing well. A collapsed retaining wall between Tangoio and White Pine Bush has been reinstalled, and repairs to the large slip at Waikoau Hill, north of Napier, are scheduled to start in early October. This work will take around eight weeks to complete, and we aim to reopen the road to two lanes in early December. We are also finalising plans to repair the steep underslip south of White Pine Bush, between Tangoio and Tūtira, with construction getting underway in early November.

Image: Major repairs continue at SH35 Makarori.

Emergency works update

• SH35 Makarori is progressing well, despite weather challenges. The retaining wall should be completed by mid-September with final earthworks and planting completed by the end of the month.
• SH2 Matawai, affected by an underslip following heavy rain in July, was reinstated to the full road width in mid-August and is now open to all vehicles.
• Work on the drop-out at SH35 Huia Hill has also been completed.
• SH35 Motu River mouth is expected to open to all traffic from mid-September.

Image: The Esk River Bridge on State Highway 2, north of Napier.

Speed restrictions ahead for Esk River Bridge

The bridge over the Esk River on SH2, north of Napier, has been reduced to a 30km/h temporary speed limit following a recent inspection and follow-up assessment, which identified strength issues from the growing weight and volume of traffic, which require repair.

Repairs have been given a high priority in our work programme and are being fast-tracked through the design stage. In the meantime, we ask road users to stick to the temporary 30km/h speed limit to reduce additional wear and tear on the bridge structure and prevent further deterioration.

While the bridge is being repaired, single lane closures as well as speed and/or weight restrictions may be required. Temporary overnight bridge closures may also become necessary. Check Journey Planner and our social media channels for updates.

Maintenance

• Over 100 lane kilometres of renewals will be completed from October onwards.
• Approximately 15% of the Tairāwhiti network will be rebuilt or resurfaced.
• Planning is underway to minimise overall disruption, through coordination with other state highway work underway.

A snapshot of our 2021/2022 year-end maintenance summary:

Upcoming

• Tatapouri Hill slow vehicle bay (to restart following weather events) – September
• Kopuaroa Hill Improvements (main works) – est. September
• Turihaua Point and Pouawa rock protection – immediately following consent being granted (est. October)
• Busby’s Hill Improvements – est. November
• SH35 Puketiti Hill slow vehicle bay extension
• SH2 Otoko Hill southbound seal widening

About Connecting Tairāwhiti

The Connecting Tairāwhiti programme is focused on working together with regional and community partners to significantly improve safety and driver experience on our state highways, create employment opportunities, and provide a more resilient roading network for local communities.

Connecting Tairāwhiti projects are part of the Tairāwhiti Roading Package, funded by Kanoa – Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit. You can see more about all the Connecting Tairāwhiti projects on our interactive map here.

Here are some of the great companies we are working with:

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More information

Email ConnectingTairawhiti@nzta.govt.nz for more information or to give feedback

Explore our Connecting Tairāwhiti map

Visit our Connecting Tairāwhiti website

Visit our Passing Opportunities webpage

Visit our Resilience webpage

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