Road works to resume soon
Sections of the road between Waiouru and Tirau were closed for periods last season, but lengthy full closures won’t be required again this year, NZTA says. Photo: Dan Hutchinson
The accelerated roadworks project between Waiouru and Tīrau will start again on September 1 but NZTA Waka Kotahi says there will not be any more 24/7 road closures.
NZTA used full road closures in late 2024 and early 2025 to speed up the massive programme of works, which will see 66km of SH1 rebuilt.
Close to 50km has already been rebuilt and workers will be hoping for good weather to complete the remaining sections.
The coming season will see the final road surfacing on five sections of SH1, including the Desert Road.
Road rebuilds and maintenance will also be completed between Taupō and Tūrangi, and on the edges of Tokoroa and Tīrau townships.
“T2W goes beyond standard road maintenance; it upgrades the worst sections of SH1 to a much higher standard, reducing the need for future disruptions in the areas we’re working on,” says NZTA Waikato systems manager Andrew Oakley.
The project used 24/7 road closures last season to accelerate the work, but Andrew confirmed no 24/7 road closures will be required this season.
Some short night-only closures will be needed at Tīrau, between Tokoroa and Ātiamuri and on the Desert Road.
There will be no full road closures between Taupō and Tūrangi.
“We’re working closely with our contractor to minimise delays especially on SH1 between Taupō and Tūrangi, where we will have four rebuild sites happening.”
NZTA is also doing its usual major summer maintenance programme across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty including about 15 road rebuild sites and 20 resurfacing sites from the Coromandel Peninsula to Waiouru.
“Summer is always our busiest season for roadworks. Weather and ground temperatures are critical to delivering long-lasting results.
“We know road works are an inconvenience, and we’d like to thank all our communities and road users in advance for their patience. This work is much needed, and we’re confident you will appreciate the results when it’s complete.”