Hawke's Bay state highway planned roadworks

Saturday 13 December to Friday 19 December

12 December 2025

Kia ora,

Welcome to this week’s Hawke’s Bay state highway planned roadworks update.

This weekly newsletter provides you with information about what’s happening across the region’s state highways so you can plan ahead.

A reminder if you’re travelling between Napier and Taupō this weekend, we’re closing State Highway 5 (SH5) from 11pm Saturday to 5am Sunday for asphalting a narrow section of road at Tarawera. Turnaround points will be in place at Caroline Drive in Taupō and the Glengarry Road/SH5 intersection in Hawke’s Bay.

Before you travel on the state highways, check Journey Planner or Facebook for the latest information. 

Dates in this update may change at short notice due to weather or other unforeseen factors. If a state highway is not included in this update, there are no major or disruptive works planned for that corridor. 

Ngā mihi nui,

The NZTA Hawke’s Bay team

Information current as at 2:15pm on 12/12/2025

Holiday roadworks pause

All roadworks on state highways will stop for the Christmas and New Year period, unless essential. Roadworkers will shut down worksites from midday Friday 19 December and work will resume on Monday 5 January 2026. January and February tend to be our biggest months for road renewals, as we make the most of the warm, dry weather.

Upcoming roadworks

Upcoming closures:

• SH5 north of Tarawera: Overnight closure on Saturday 13 December, 11pm-5am for asphalting. No viable detour, emergency services will be assisted through the site. Facebook.
• SH38 between Lake Waikaremoana Holiday Park and Tuai: Overnight closures are ongoing to Wednesday 17 December, Monday 5 January to Saturday 28 February, Sunday to Friday nights, 8pm-6am (6 nights a week). More information.

State Highway 2 North

SH2 Mohaka Coach Road intersection

• Day time asphalting is planned for Saturday 13 December following shoulder widening works, with line marking to follow.
• Shoulder closure and a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place. Some stop/go temporary traffic management may be used at times.

SH2 Lake Tūtira

• Two underslip repairs by TREC are underway until mid next week, day time
• Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits are in place 24/7. Facebook update.

SH2 Devil's Elbow (various sections)

• Recovery work by TREC is ongoing until mid-December
• Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits are in place 24/7, with up to 10 minute delays. More information.

State Highway 2 Hawke's Bay Expressway

Work for the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) project is underway at several locations. Here’s what to expect:

SH2 south of Tutaekuri River Bridge to Links Road/Pākōwhai Road

• Preparation works underway at nights until Friday 19 December, 8pm-5am each night. No work Friday and Saturday nights.
• Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place, with up to 10 minute delays. Outside of the night work, a 70km/h temporary speed limit will be in place for the duration of the project. Facebook

Take extra care when driving on the expressway

Work sites are active near the Taradale Road roundabout and Tutaekuri River Bridge, with another planned at Meeanee Road early next year.

Please take extra care when driving through the new road layout south of the Taradale Road roundabout. Some median barriers have been removed near the Tutaekuri River Bridge, so keep an eye out and stick to the temporary speed limits. Your patience helps keep everyone safe - thank you.

More information about the HB Expressway RoNS project.

State Highway 2 Central Hawke's Bay

SH2 between Tamumu Road and past Racecourse Road, Waipawa

• Pre-seal repairs are underway at nights until Thursday 18 December, 7pm-6am each night 
• Stop/go traffic management and 30km/hr temporary speed limit will be in place, with up to 10 minute delays. Facebook.

SH2 Takapau, north of Norsewood (across Manawatū-Whanganui regional boundary)

• Additional works are ongoing until Thursday 18 December, 6am-6pm
• Stop/go traffic management and 30km/h temporary speed limit is in place, with delays of up to 5 minutes. More information.

State Highway 5 Napier to Taupō

SH5 north of Tarawera

• Full closure overnight for asphalting on Saturday 13 December, 11pm-5am
• No viable detour available, emergency services will be assisted through the site. If you’re planning to travel between Napier and Taupō on this date, please allow 1 ½ hours to get through the Tarawera section before the closure is put in place at 11pm. More information.

SH5 Tarawera

• Resealing and line marking underway from Monday 15 to Friday 19 December, 7am-5pm
• Stop/go traffic management and 30km/hr temporary speed limit will be in place, with up to 10 minute delays.

SH5 Glengarry

• Road rebuild underway until Thursday 18 December, 7am-6pm
• Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place, with up to 15 minute delays.

SH5 between Pohokura and Eskdale

• Resealing various sections from Monday 8 to Thursday 18 December, 7am-7pm
• Stop/go traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place with up to 10 minute delays.

State Highway 38 Wairoa to Waikaremoana

SH38 between Lake Waikaremoana Holiday Park and Tuai

• Overnight closures for underslip repairs by TREC ongoing to Wednesday 17 December 2025, and Monday 5 January to Saturday 28 February 2026, Sunday to Friday nights, 8pm-6am each night (6 nights a week)
• No viable detour, emergency services will be assisted through the site. Traffic bulletin and Facebook.

SH38 various locations

• Pavement maintenance is underway in some locations until end of March 2026, Monday to Friday, 7am-5pm.
• Stop/go traffic management with up to 10 minute delays.

State Highway 50

SH50 Bridge Street and Ossian Street intersection, Ahuriri

• Two more nights of preparation works for the Napier Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre (CVSC) project tonight and tomorrow (Saturday 13 December), 8pm-5am each night
• Stop/go traffic management and 30km/hr temporary speed limit will be in place, with up to 5 minute delays. More information.

SH50 Prebensen Drive/Hyderabad Road roundabout

• Crews will be returning in mid-January to complete the retaining wall as part of ongoing safety improvements.

SH50 Prebensen Drive/SH2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway roundabout

• Work for the Napier CVSC is underway until end 2026
• No delays are expected as the work is off to the side of the road and a shoulder closure is in place. More information.

SH50 Manga-o-Nuku Bridge No. 3, Tikokino

• Bridge repairs underway until Friday 19 December, 9am-5pm each day excluding Sunday 14 December
• Stop/stop traffic management will be in place with up to 10 minute delays. Facebook.

State Highway 51

SH51 Georges Drive, between Chambers Street and Ashridge Road

• Three nights of preparation works for the Napier CVSC project from tonight (Friday) to Sunday 14 December, 8pm-5am each night
• The work involves rebuilding a 60m section of the northbound lane with asphalt. This is necessary to prepare the road for the future in-road scales.
• Stop/go traffic management and 30km/hr temporary speed limit will also be place, with up to 5 minute delays. More information.

SH51 Tutaekuri Bridge (Waitangi)

• Bridge repairs by TREC are ongoing until mid-December, 7am-6pm
• 60km/hr temporary speed limit and occasional stop/go traffic management is in place. Traffic bulletin.

We’re returning to Waipawa to apply the second coat seal on the section of SH2 we rebuilt last summer, between Victoria St and Tamumu Road.

Resealing in Waipawa: What you need to know

Last summer, we rebuilt the section of State Highway 2 (SH2) between Victoria Street and Tamumu Road. 

This summer, we’re returning to add a second layer of chipseal. This is standard practice; the first layer settles as vehicles drive over it during the year, and the second layer strengthens and waterproofs the road for the long term.

What are pre-seal repairs?
Before we chipseal (or reseal) a section of road, we need to make sure the surface underneath is solid.

Pre-seal repairs fix damaged patches so the chipseal lasts as long as possible. This can involve digging out and replacing part of the road surface or stabilising existing material with lime or cement to make it stronger.

These repairs usually happen early in the road renewal season, or just before, on sites that will be chipsealed later in the season. We’re currently in Waipawa until Thursday next week, undertaking pre-seal repairs at nights ahead of returning in early January for resealing. 

What is chipsealing?
Chipsealing (or resealing) is when stone chips are spread over a layer of hot sprayed bitumen or emulsion. As it cools, it hardens and sets the stones in place. It can take time for the chips to bed into the road surface, and we sweep away any excess after a few days.

The final step is done by road users. Vehicles driving over the new seal help compact the chips. Chipseal is economical, flexible, hardwearing, and extends the life of a road.

Chipseal needs to be laid in warm, dry months so it becomes strong and long-lasting. It can crack in cold weather, and wet conditions affect the bond between the bitumen and the road.

We’re planning to return to Waipawa Sunday 11 January for 6 nights of resealing sections between Victoria Street and past Racecourse Road. We’ll provide more information about these nightworks closer to the time.

More information

Please note there may be other minor state highway works not listed in this update.

All work above is carried out on behalf of NZTA, unless otherwise stated.

For more information on the Hawke's Bay state highway maintenance programme, contact info@nzta.govt.nz visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/sh-maintenance-programme/hawkes-bay or call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49).

The Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) alliance sends regular updates about recovery work on Hawke’s Bay state highways. To receive these, sign up on their website here. For questions about TREC activity, please contact info@trec.nz.