SH25/SH25A Thames-Coromandel

9 June 2025

Plans for Boundary Creek Bridge works firm up

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is planning to replace the Boundary Creek Bridge on State Highway 25 north of Te Mata later this year.

The bridge is currently reduced to a single lane with weight restriction due to its condition and needs to be replaced.

With 2-way traffic and the slow vehicle passing bay to the south of the bridge restored, traffic will flow more smoothly through this area and the state highway will be safer and more resilient.

Funding for this work was confirmed earlier this year and design for a new bridge deck and repairs to the abutments have been completed.

The road corridor at the bridge is narrow and right on the coast so it is not possible to do the work without some road closures.

We realise any closure on this section of SH25 will cause considerable disruption for road users, business activity and access to work, education and health services. 

NZTA staff have met with emergency services, local business and community representatives, to seek feedback on how we carry out the work.  

Feedback so far supports a single continuous closure – rather than a series of shorter closures spread across several weeks – as the preferred construction option.

Our current timeline would see the week-long closure in early November, and all work completed by early December, ahead of the peak summer holiday period.

We recognise concerns in the community around the timing of the work. The priority is to ensure the resilience and safety of this state highway and this work needs to be done as quickly as possible to avoid the need for any additional restrictions in the event of further deterioration. 

Next steps will be to finalise the construction approach and timing for the works and appoint a contractor. We expect this to be confirmed in July and a further update with more details about project timing will be issued.

We will be seeking views about speed on Coromandel's SH25.

Thoughts on speeds on Coromandel state highways

The drop-in session held at the Tairua Community Hall on 30 April 2025 about the Pepe Stream Bridge was an ideal opportunity to discuss speed limits with some of the residents of Coromandel.

We received considerable feedback from the Coromandel community after speed limits were temporarily reduced on SH25 while SH25A was closed.

The speed limits were lowered during the emergency period when much more traffic was using SH25. Once SH25A opened again, the temporary speed limits on SH25 came to their maximum period allowed (12 months) and expired so were removed by December 2024.

Many people at the Tairua event let us know they feel some of the speed limits are too fast, particularly in the Whenuakite and Kuaotunu area.

Other feedback included:

• Many wanted lower speed limits on all or some of SH25 on the Coromandel Peninsula.

• Others thought 100km/h was appropriate, and people should drive to the conditions.

• A number of people said Thames Coast Road, which currently has a speed limit of 100km/h, could not be driven at that speed.

• Some people suggested speed limits in Tairua should be lower, including suggesting it should be 30km/h whereas others were very opposed to any reduction.

• Others thought the speed limits in all the townships on SH25 needing reviewing.

Variable Speed Limit signs work to reduce speeds during busy school times.

Signage ahead for schools

We are giving priority to Variable Speed Limit (VSL) signage for schools on SH25, including for Te Rerenga School.

As some design work will be required before the VSLs are able to be installed, there is no specific time when any particular VSL will be in place. However, we are confident that this can be done by next summer.

SH25A staying at 80km/h

There will be no change to the speed limit on SH25A between Kopu and Hikuai, nor will it be included in any review.

Prior to the SH25A Taparahi slip and rebuild, we had identified the state highway as high-risk, where an 80km/h safer speed limit would make a difference in saving lives. 

In the 10-year period between 2013 and 2022, 6 people were killed and 35 seriously injured on SH25A. Most of the crashes were related to loss of control and speed.

NZ Police supported the speed reduction and identified it as a high-risk road requiring significant patrolling. There were also calls for change from the community and local iwi.

A significant reason for not taking this road back to 100km/h is the consequences to the community if there are serious crashes and the road has to be closed.

Next steps in SH25 speed review

We are finalising funding to progress a speed review for parts of SH25.

Any review will take into consideration safety, technical, cost-benefit and other data, alongside community feedback received during a formal consultation period. If funding is available, we aim to do the consultation this year.

The review has to be in line with the Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024, which legalises the Government’s expectation that speed limits on our roads will be managed in a way that supports economic growth, boosts productivity, and enables people to get to where they’re going quickly and safely.

We will be back in contact with the community when it has further information to share. In the meantime, if there are questions about speeds on SH25, please email Waikato.speed.reviews@nzta.govt.nz

More information

For more information on the SH25/SH25A Thames-Coromandel project, contact us at coromandelprojects@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website nzta.govt.nz/thames-coromandel