Stop press – 9 December: This work is not happening on 13 December due to wet weather forecast for that night. We will keep you informed on when it will be rescheduled.

The work will run between 7 pm and 6 am the next day but traffic will be allowed over the bridge at specified intervals. (See below).

If it is wet Monday, the work will transfer to Tuesday.

Waka Kotahi crews will be undertaking asphalt works at the Nelson end of the Bridge.

Updates to the time/date if this work changes 

Can we get over the bridge at all? Yes – hourly and bi-hourly

• Traffic will be allowed through on the hour with a ten to 15-minute window to get traffic through each way from 7 pm to 10pm. 
• From 10pm until 4am, traffic will be allowed through every two hours – ie at midnight, 2 am and 4 am. 
• After 4 am, traffic can get across the bridge on the hour until full opening at 6 am. (5 am then 6 am opening).

Waka Kotahi thanks all drivers who may be inconvenienced by this work for their patience if they have to wait an hour or more.

While SH1 is closed, all southbound traffic will be detoured from Rangiriri interchange via local roads to the Glen Murray Bridge, southbound along Te Ōhākī Road and across the Tainui Bridge at Huntly.

A detour route via Waikato District Council roads is in place for General Access vehicles. It can be used by Overweight Vehicles provided they hold a permit for the route from Waikato District Council.

Vehicles without permits to use the nominated detour route (such as Overweight, 50MAX, HPMV and Over Dimension) may use State Highway 2 and State Highway 27 provided they hold the relevant permits.

All other heavy vehicles are not permitted to use the detour or alternative route. They are to avoid the detour and plan their journeys for outside the closure times.

Motorists are asked to take extra care when travelling along the detour route by following any temporary speed limits, signs and instructions from the traffic management team.

In the event of bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances, work may be postponed. Visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner (journeys.nzta.govt.nz) website for up to date information on the road closure, detours, traffic, road works and delays.

This closure is to allow 8.5km of temporary steel barriers to removed. After the barriers have been removed along SH1, the southbound speed limit at Ōhinewai will return to 100km/h.

Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience.

The barriers were damaged when a crane partially crashed through them earlier today.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises the lane will be closed between 8am and midday tomorrow (Sunday 5 December), with a temporary speed limit in place past the worksite while contractors undertake the repairs.

Both westbound lanes are currently open, with a shoulder closure and 50km/h temporary speed limit in place.

Motorists travelling between Mt Maunganui and Tauranga are asked to plan ahead and expect delays. Where possible people are encouraged to plan their journeys for outside the works or to consider using State Highway 29A.

Visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz) or Waikato and Bay of Plenty Facebook page (www.facebook.com/NZTAWaikatoBoP) for up-to-date information on the work and lane closure. 

Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience.

UPDATE 9AM: The westbound lanes of the bridge are now closed while vehicle recovery takes place. This is expected to take 30 minutes to an hour. Once the crane is removed, the left westbound lane (the lane alongside the damaged barrier) will remain closed for safety.

The left westbound lane is currently blocked over the bridge as a crane has partially gone through the barrier. The bridge may need to close.

Those travelling between Mt Maunganui and Tauranga are asked to delay their travel or consider alternative routes.

Motorists are encouraged to visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz) or Waikato and Bay of Plenty Facebook page (www.facebook.com/NZTAWaikatoBoP) for up-to-date information. 

Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience.