SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance project update

SH1 maintenance wrapped for Christmas

19 December 2024

We're finished for 2024

That’s us done with the first 4 months of the accelerated maintenance programme, where we’re fitting 4 years’ worth of maintenance into 16 months on Waikato’s State Highway 1 (SH1). 

 The final closure for the year, SH1 between Putāruru and Tokoroa, opened to traffic on Monday, and now the road has been swept, road markings applied and traffic management removed.  

Traffic management has also been removed in the section between Atiamuri and Wairakei.

We have 2 closures scheduled for early in 2025 to be aware of:

• SH1 between Tūrangi and Waiouru (includes Desert Road) will close from Monday 13 January for approximately 2 months.
• SH1 from just south of Tīrau to just north of Putāruru there will be night closures from Sunday 19 January 2025 for 10 nights, subject to the final testing showing the surface is ready. 

There’s another closure in early 2025 that’s not part of this project but will affect SH1 travellers; 

• SH1 State Highway 1 at Karāpiro, south of Cambridge, will be closed for 5 nights and 4 days, from midnight on Sunday 19 January to midnight on Thursday 23 January 2025. Read more here

We have a number of sites where final asphalt surfacing has to be done on the newly rebuilt roads in 2025. These will likely be overnight closures with SH1 reopening during the day. We are finalising the scheduling for this and will let you know when the dates for these are locked in.

We recommend checking the NZTA journey planner for more information on closures and travel times.

SH1 Putāruru to Tokoroa open under traffic management to embed the new surface. Sweeping and road marking have been done, and the signs and cones packed up for the Christmas holidays.

Thanks from us to you

Now that we’re done for the year and the traffic management has been removed, to everyone who has driven SH1 through our work sites, or used one of our detour routes, thank you for your patience.

A big thanks especially to the local residents, freight companies and businesses. We know you’ve had to put up with the disruption of roadworks, longer journeys and more traffic on usually quiet country roads. 

A big thanks also to the many people who have been out there in all weather doing the mahi on our roads.

Desert Road detours

SH1 between Tūrangi and Waiouru (which includes the Desert Road) will close from Monday 13 January for approximately 2 months. 

While the Ruapehu District is looking forward to welcoming more visitors the detours deliver to their region, we have also received the message loud and clear that residents are concerned at the increased issues that might happen on detours with the extra traffic. The mitigation we have planned includes:  

• Reducing the speed limit to 50km/h through Ohakune while the detour is in place. The existing 70km/h signage through town will be replaced with 50km/h while traffic is detoured through there.
• Additional billboards “Heavy Vehicles Please No Engine Brakes” to complement the existing permanent signage (for instance, on approaches to Ohakune).
• Installing “Expect more traffic” billboards on the detour route.
• Additional billboards advising Tūrangi - Waiouru closed and encouraging safe driving.
• We are investigating painting additional directional signage at key intersections where possible.
• We have been having discussions with NZ Police who are promising an increased presence on the detours.

What have we done?

To finish up with, here’s some statistics of what’s been done on SH1 in central and southern Waikato since September. 

• Lane kms rebuilt:  45.9km (or 234,773m2)
• Re-seals completed:  52,828m2
• Foam bitumen sealing: 177,140m2
• Structural asphalt concrete: 7,870m2
• Tonnes of metal used:   Approximately 114,000
• Truckloads of metal:  Up to 145 loads per site per day
• Kms of line marking completed:  More than 240km
• Number of workforce hours to date (road crews):  54,053
• Number of lost-time injuries:  Zero
• Number of contracting firms utilised:  Up to 12 working at once 

Finally, have a Meri Kirihimete, please drive safely over the holiday period and we’ll see you back here in 2025.

More information

This work forms part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund.

Please pass this on to others who may be using SH1 in the next few months and encourage them to sign up to this newsletter by using the subscribe button below.

For more information or any concerns on the SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru maintenance, please email us.

Please visit our website nzta.govt.nz/t2w

And the final word on road tripping over the holidays comes from one of our stakeholder advisory group, Emerina.  "Take lots of drinking water, extra food, travel pillows and throw in a change of clothing. Stop and have a swim if by water, stop have bush walk or take any opportunity to make memories rather then just sitting in a hot car."