Connecting Hawke's Bay

Hawke's Bay roading update

1 March 2024

We’ve refreshed our Hawke’s Bay e-newsletter

Welcome to Connecting Hawke’s Bay, our refreshed e-newsletter that provides updates about our work across our region’s state highway network. 

Previously our e-newsletter was focused on Cyclone Gabrielle recovery updates but we’ve decided to broaden our focus to other projects we’re working on across Hawke's Bay, particularly safety improvements. We’ll now look to publish our e-newsletter quarterly.

There is still a place to get dedicated Cyclone-recovery and rebuild updates and that’s via the Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) alliance. We’ve included a link to TREC further below if you would like to learn more and receive these updates.

Watch: The SH51 roundabout is almost ready for use

People driving between Napier and Hastings along the waterfront will soon be able to use the new State Highway 51 (SH51) roundabout.

Work began in May 2023 on a range of safety improvements to this high-risk corridor including:

• New roundabout at the intersection of SH51 and Awatoto Road
• Widened road shoulders
• Flexible median barrier and side barrier
• Intersection improvements at the intersections of SH51 and Waitangi Road and Awatoto Road.

Watch the video: You can click on the image above to watch a fly-over video of the new roundabout.

The roundabout will be open before Easter with traffic management in place while the final stages of work are completed. These include:

• New road lines and signs
• Safer crossing point from Awatoto Road to the beach domain suitable for prams, wheelchair users, cyclists and pedestrians
• New pou to culturally mark the site, park bench, native landscaping and upgraded street lighting.

The project is expected to be fully complete by mid-2024.

You can find out more about the SH51 safety improvements project on our website at www.nzta.govt.nz/sh51-napier or if you have any questions please email the project team from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) at SH51safety@nzta.govt.nz

The SH5 crew start shoulder widening work on SH5 near Te Pōhue. Pictured L-R: Site Engineer Genald Sebastian (Transport Rebuild East Coast), Supervisor Blair Davis (Hawke's Bay Civil Infrastructure) and Site Traffic Management Supervisor Daniel Bullivant (Traffic Management NZ).

We're making SH5 safer

Work to improve safety on State Highway 5 (SH5) Napier to Taupō started in January this year.  

We are widening the road shoulder, installing roadside safety barriers and rumble strips (audio tactile profiles), and painting new lines and a wider centreline to improve the safety of various high-risk curves on SH5 between Eskdale and Waipunga.

We will also be making safety improvements to the Tarawera slow vehicle bay by removing old lines and re-painting new lines to widen the centreline and road shoulder, as well as installing rumble strips.

While this work takes place, there is stop/go traffic management, traffic reduced to one lane and reduced speed limits of 30km/h to 50km/h at the sites below.

In addition to safety improvements, Transport Rebuild East Coast are doing repair, recovery and maintenance work at multiple sites on SH5.

Overall, please expect delays of up to 30 minutes across the whole SH5 corridor.

Please note, these are our planned construction timings, however work is dependent on many other variables such as weather, and dates may change at short notice.

Work is underway at these SH5 sites, due to be complete mid 2024:

• Marshall’s Bridge (between Eskdale and Glengarry)
• South of the passing lane near Te Pōhue (between Te Pōhue and Te Hāroto)
• Tarawera slow vehicle bay and curves near Tarawera cafe.

While Cyclone Gabrielle recovery works continue, improving the safety of our roads also remains a priority. These SH5 safety improvements had already been approved before the Cyclone, and Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) has capacity to do this work alongside their recovery work to help make SH5 safer, more resilient and more reliable overall.

Find out more about the SH5 safety improvements underway on our website at www.nzta.govt.nz/sh5-safety or email the project team from NZTA at sh5comms@nzta.govt.nz

The bulk earthworks is in progress with the large bench and fill underway

Construction underway at Kakariki slow vehicle bay

Works are underway to construct a new slow vehicle bay on State Highway 2 (SH2), near Kotemaori School.

A stretch of SH2, near the intersection with Kakariki Farm Road, is under traffic management while the slow vehicle bay is constructed. Stop/go traffic control, along with a temporary 30km/h speed limit are in place.

The 260-metre slow vehicle bay will allow another place for road users to safely pass slow vehicles, providing a safer opportunity for passing as road users head north to Wairoa. It will help reduce driver frustration, enable people to safely pass slower vehicles and continue their journey in a timely way.

In addition to the construction of a slow vehicle bay, we are also making safety improvements to Kotemaori School’s access on SH2, including a safe right-turn bay to access the school.

The project is expected to be completed in April 2024.

This stretch of SH2 has seen a lot of construction and maintenance activity over the past few months as the region recovers and rebuilds from Cyclone Gabrielle. We understand the additional temporary stop/go traffic management will cause delays but we’re confident the slow vehicle bay will ultimately lead to more efficient and safer travel on this part of the journey.

SH2 Mohaka Ascent slow vehicle bay

Good progress is being made on the construction of a slow vehicle bay at Raupunga, on the southbound lane of State Highway 2.

The slow vehicle bay will stretch 650 metres just after the Mohaka Rail Viaduct.

Roading crews initially began work on the slow vehicle bay in September 2022, however this was bought to a halt following the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Crews have been back onsite since early November and while wet weather and cold temperatures have pushed the completion date back, works are expected to be completed by end of February, weather permitting.

Through February, works are taking place to lay a new seal, and stop/go traffic management is in place.

We thank the community for its patience as these important works are carried out.

Transport Rebuild East Coast update: recovery and rebuild mahi

The Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) Alliance is responsible for the recovery and rebuild work on the East Coast highway and rail networks delivered in partnership with local contractors.

Recovery work is progressing well in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay at many sites. This ongoing work is focused on keeping the state highways open and people moving, while longer-term rebuild work is considered in places to minimise future disruptions. TREC is also delivering summer state highway maintenance work across the East Coast which includes road reseals and pavement repairs. 

Stay up to date with TREC’s work and the upcoming community drop in sessions by subscribing to the TREC. You can sign up here to receive these regular updates.

For more information, visit: www.nzta.govt.nz/trec

Watch: Keeping safe around roadworks

Caption: Watch our video below about how to travel safely past our roadworkers and their worksites. Like all of us, roadworkers deserve to get home at the end of the day