Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Bay of Plenty System Manager, Roger Brady, says roading crews are working extra hard to complete as much work as possible. This means extra activity between now and mid-December.

“Maintenance work along the corridor is programmed to wind up on Tuesday 23 December and start up again on 5 January next year. However, forecast wet weather this week may see some changes to the programme. 

“The Waihī to Ōmokoroa safety improvements project will continue road widening works, earthworks drainage and service relocation works until 23 December and recommence on 10 January.

“We work closely with the safety improvements team to ensure motorists are not driving over extended sections of fresh chip seal for days. We also split this into smaller sections along the highway to help people better manage their journeys,” says Mr Brady.

“We know these works are inconvenient to motorists and we do our best to keep people informed and minimise any delays as much as possible.

“Please be patient, plan for delays and follow the guidance of temporary traffic management signs and staff.

“We also encourage people to check with Journey Planner before travelling.”

The Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website is an easy way to find out about incidents or delays on your favourite journeys.

Journey Planner

This is what you can expect to see on your journey between Waihī and Tauranga this week:

• Athenree Road to Tanners Point Road – road widening works continue throughout the week. Expect minor delays of one to two minutes.
• Tanners Point Road to Kauri Point Road – final watermain relocation connections are underway. Expect minor delays of one to two minutes. 
• Rea Road / Tetley Road intersection – preparation works for a roundabout are ongoing. Expect minor delays of about 5 minutes.
• Lund Road to Aongatete Road – road widening, earthworks, drainage and service relocation works between Lund Road and Aongatete Road continue. Expect minor delays of one to two minutes.

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• COVID-19 services update: nzta.govt.nz/COVID19
• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTAWaikatoBoP
• Twitter: twitter.com/WakaKotahiWaiBP
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

Improving safety is at the heart of the Takitimu North Link project, which today announced the award of the construction contract to Fulton Hogan and HEB Joint Venture.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Director Regional Relationships, David Speirs, welcomes the project moving ever closer to reality for Western Bay of Plenty communities living alongside the busy State Highway 2.

“This is a beautiful part of Aotearoa that has seen rapid growth. Takitimu North Link will provide an alternative route, improving safety and accessibility, and providing more transport choice for communities on this important corridor.”

“This is a huge investment into the Bay of Plenty, and one of the largest projects within the New Zealand Upgrade Programme.

“We are now into the construction phase of the project, with enabling works underway, essential ecological and environmental investigations continuing, and main construction beginning this summer.”

Mr Speirs says people can also look forward to more options on how they travel, helping them get where they’re going safely.

“Providing options on how people want to travel will be significant for the area. The continuous and separate shared path gives people the ability to cycle, ride e-bikes, electric scooters, electric skateboards and walk. There will be regular access points from local roads to connect communities.”

Since the design portion of the contract was awarded in May 2021 contractors FH/HEB JV have progressed site investigations, technical assessments, and detailed design.

“The contract was split into two parts, design and construct, allowing the design to continue while property negotiations were completed. The progress with land acquisition over the past 18 months has brought us to the construction phase,” Mr Speirs says.

“Fulton Hogan and HEB Joint Venture bring significant experience to the project, having previously built the Tauranga Eastern Link. They are ready to hit the ground running this summer and enabling works are already underway.”

“The five-year project includes three million cubic metres of earthworks as well as the construction of eight bridges, 29 culverts, eight stream diversions and seven wetlands.”

The contract is an important milestone for the New Zealand Upgrade Programme, which will provide better travel choices that help people in growing communities get where they’re going safely. Waka Kotahi and KiwiRail are delivering the Government’s $8.7 billion investment in road, rail, public transport and walking and cycling infrastructure.

The New Zealand Upgrade Programme provides the fully-funded pipeline of work that industry have been calling for. At its peak of construction, 350–400 people will work on the project, but about 4,500 would be inducted over the five-years construction.

Waka Kotahi will work alongside Te Tiriti partnership roopu (group), Te Paerangi, together with Fulton Hogan and HEB Joint Venture, to deliver the project.

The Joint Venture Project Director/Contractors Representative, Tony Gallagher, says the team is ready to start construction on this long-awaited project for the Western Bay of Plenty.

“This is an exciting milestone for our team, which has been busy working towards this point for some time. A big focus has been delivering the design, and undertaking archaeological and environmental investigations. We look forward to working with mana whenua and the wider community and meeting our neighbours to the project. We value the support of everyone to deliver the new expressway and shared path.”

Tauranga City Council Chair Anne Tolley says awarding of the construction contract for the major Takitimu North Link project is a significant step forward for the city and the sub-region.

“This new link will significantly improve road connections between Tauranga and the growing communities to the north, as well as providing better options for people to travel to and within the city using other transport modes. We welcome this progress – the completion of this key project literally can’t come soon enough, and it will be great to see work get underway in earnest.”

Western Bay Mayor Garry Webber welcomes the announcement that will see construction works getting underway this summer.

“There has been plenty of hard work behind the scenes to get the project to this point, and I commend all involved for their efforts. But the real work has only just begun.

“It is no secret the western Bay of Plenty sub-region is one of the fastest growing areas in Aotearoa, New Zealand and so the construction of the new multi-modal Takitimu North Link will go a long way to creating a transport system that is safer and less congested.

“This will also be of incredible benefit to the local economy with employment opportunities.”

Additional information

Takitimu North Link will support urban growth in the western Bay of Plenty and is a key part of the region’s Connected Centres programme developed by the Urban Form and Transport Initiative (UFTI).

The expressway runs 6.8km between State Highway 29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road and Te Puna, providing an alternative to State Highway 2 and moving trucks away from local roads. It will significantly improve safety and accessibility, build resilience, support growth and provide more transport choice for communities, with provision for public transport and a shared path for walking and cycling.

This is a key strategic transport corridor, commuter and freight route, as well as an important tourist link for the northern Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Peninsula.

The Western Bay of Plenty is projected to grow by 16,000 people in the next 20 years, and traffic crossing the Wairoa Bridge is predicted to increase from 20,000 to more than 30,000 daily by 2031.

Stage Two of the project, Te Puna to Omokoroa, will be a protected route under the New Zealand Upgrade Programme, however there is not currently funding for further work beyond route protection.

Takitimu North project page

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• COVID-19 services update: nzta.govt.nz/COVID19
• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTAWaikatoBoP
• Twitter: twitter.com/WakaKotahiWaiBP
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

To prepare for the daytime works, a full closure of State Highway 1 (SH1) southbound between Greville Road and Constellation Drive will be required overnight on Saturday 4 & Sunday 5 December to install and remove temporary lane barriers. Detour routes will be available.

Daytime delays are then expected on Sunday 5 December as the work is carried out.

Restrictions will apply during the following times:

Overnight full closure:

• • 9pm on Saturday 4 December to 5am on Sunday 5 December

Day works – lower speed limit in place:

• • 5am to 9pm Sunday 5 December

Overnight full closure:

• • 9pm on Sunday 5 December to 5am on Monday 6 December

During the daytime works temporary lane barriers will be used to detour vehicles around either side of the work area, with a 50kmph speed limit in place.

The team will be completing a concrete pour on the future SH1/SH18 underpass and need to ensure vibrations from passing vehicles is kept to a minimum.

Waka Kotahi encourages drivers to plan ahead and avoid the Albany and Rosedale area if possible.

For people who need to travel through the area, Waka Kotahi advises drivers to choose their lane much earlier than usual and look out for messaging on overhead and electronic signs.

Motorists who want to exit SH1 at Constellation Drive will need to use the left lane only.

An express lane to the right of the work area will also be operating for people wanting to continue their journey south towards the city. 

Drivers will not be able to exit State Highway 1 at Constellation Drive if they are in the right-hand lane.

We understand the expected delays will be frustrating for drivers, but due to the preparation needed, crew were unable to undertake this work during higher Alert Levels.

It’s important the NCI team are able to complete the work now, to minimise disruption ahead of the opening of Auckland’s borders and the busy summer months.

When complete, the underpass will provide a direct motorway to motorway connection for people travelling from the north and wanting to head west, completing the Western Ring Route.

For more information visit the Auckland Northern Corridor project page or or Waka Kotahi’s Auckland facebook page, or call the project freephone number 0800 624 776.

Auckland Northern Corridor project page

Waka Kotahi Auckland facebook page

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• COVID-19 services update: nzta.govt.nz/COVID19
• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook: facebook.com/nztaakl
• Twitter: twitter.com/WakaKotahiAkNth
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

VTNZ Country Manager Greg O’Connor says the company, in conjunction with Waka Kotahi NZTA, is ready to receive bookings from fully vaccinated customers, with significant pent-up demand due to Auckland’s four-month lockdown.

“We had to postpone approximately 22,000 driver licence tests in Auckland so it’s not hard to imagine the level of demand that’s out there as we move to the new traffic light system.

“Our message to customers is make sure you’ve got your vaccine pass ready and ensure you book early. It’s going to be a very busy summer.”

Driver testing is a close contact service, and to comply with the new traffic light system guidelines all test applicants must be fully vaccinated and show a NZ COVID-19 vaccination pass (otherwise known as My Vaccine Pass) to sit a test. If test applicants are joined by a support person, the support person must also show a NZ COVID-19 vaccination pass.

If tests cannot be conducted the applicant can choose to have it rescheduled free of charge to another time when it can be conducted safely in line with COVID protocols, or they can obtain a refund from Waka Kotahi.

Facemasks must also be worn during tests. If either the test applicant or support person has a face-mask exemption they must contact VTNZ in advance at email hidden; JavaScript is required.

“Safety is our top priority. We will be managing the significant demand for tests while still ensuring staff and customers are safe when they are out on the road.

“We’ve worked closely with Waka Kotahi following the Ministry of Health guidelines to develop the necessary health and safety procedures that will allow us to conduct tests under each of the new traffic light levels.

“We will continue to explore procedures that could allow customers who are not fully vaccinated to access these services in the future,” says Mr O’Connor.

Waka Kotahi Director of Land Transport Kane Patena says VTNZ and Waka Kotahi are asking people to be patient while this demand for testing is worked through.

“We know how important it is for people to get a driver’s licence and we will be working with VTNZ to clear the backlog created by the lockdown, but it will take some time to work through.

“VTNZ and Waka Kotahi have rescheduled tests for all customers who were impacted by the lockdown, and encourage customers looking to make new bookings to think ahead.

“We’re working on solutions with VTNZ to help address delays and ease some of the pressure on the system. VTNZ will be providing additional testing locations and driver testing officers as a result,” says Mr Patena.

“SH60 over Tākaka Hill will be closed at 9pm each night and reopen at 5am as our crews work to complete road marking and final surface works at the remaining complex repair sites,” says Andrew Adams, Senior Project Manager, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

The closures are needed for the final stages of work on SH60, significantly damaged in the February 2018 Cyclone Gita storm. The hill route was completely closed at the time and has been single lane with traffic signals ever since.

These works are weather dependent so in the event of a wet night, additional nights may be added on.

For safety reasons, and to minimise disruption for everyone, this work must be done at night with no other traffic on the road, says Mr Adams.

For people who need access over the hill for night work or essential commitments, please email email hidden; JavaScript is required

• The contracting team will do their best to accommodate people’s needs, but cannot guarantee access. However, access is always available for emergency vehicles throughout the closure.
• Background to this project and latest newsletter

*Originally this work was to start on Monday 6 December but has been adjusted by an extra day.

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• COVID-19 services update: nzta.govt.nz/COVID19
• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTASouthIsland
• Twitter Canterbury/West Coast: twitter.com/WakaKotahiCWC
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

The labels, published by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, show consumers how well vehicles will protect them in a crash, using a simple one to five-star safety rating. People are more than twice as likely to survive a crash in a 5-star safety-rated car than in a 1-star car.

Safety rating labels are designed to be printed by motor vehicle dealers and displayed on cars for sale, providing consumers with simple, accurate and reliable information about a vehicle’s safety performance when they’re making their next purchase.

The voluntary safety rating label sits alongside the mandatory Vehicle Fuel Economy Label (VFEL) administered by EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority), which must be displayed on all cars for sale by motor vehicle traders to inform customers of the fuel efficiency and estimated yearly fuel costs of the vehicle.

In the first month after the label was launched, over 90% of dealers using EECA’s label generator site chose to print the voluntary safety rating label, showing there is overwhelming industry support for the label.

Industry associations such as the Vehicle Importers Association (VIA) are also supportive of the label. “We support the promotion of vehicle safety ratings in the sales process and have worked with ACC and Waka Kotahi to ensure accurate safety ratings of used vehicles” says Malcolm Yortson, the VIA’s Technical Manager.

In addition, many dealership software providers such as Motorcentral are integrating the label into their dealer management systems, to make the label easy for even more motor vehicle traders to implement.

“The safety rating label is a fantastic tool that allows the public to quickly assess and compare the safety of vehicles being considered for purchase, without the need for technical knowledge. We believe it will lead towards safer vehicles being imported and consequently a safer fleet on NZ roads” says Mena Eskander, Director of Motorcentral.

“We’re grateful to the motor vehicle industry for their support of the labels, which will help people to choose a safer vehicle when they’re looking at cars for sale. Getting more Kiwis in to safer vehicles is a key part of New Zealand’s Road to Zero strategy, which is aiming to dramatically reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 2030,” says Kane Patena, Director of Land Transport at Waka Kotahi.

To print safety rating information for a vehicle, go to the label generator on EECA’s website:

EECA’s label generator

There has been some good progress on consent tasks but work continues on the stormwater system which is a significant consent requirement for road opening.

Under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract, it is the responsibility of WGP and the builder, CPB HEB, to deliver a road that meets the safety, quality and environmental standards agreed in the contract, and expected by the public.

As stipulated in the PPP contract, there are 100 safety and quality assurance tests that must be met by the builder before the road can open. There are also 45 consent tasks that need to be complete to meet the requirements for road opening, which then need to be signed off by Greater Wellington Regional Council and/or the relevant territorial authorities.

As at 26 November 2021:

• 42 final test submissions have been received from the builder, of which 28 have been accepted by the Independent Reviewer as meeting the required specifications
• 43 partial submissions have been made and 15 tests are yet to be submitted
• 17 of the consent tasks have been completed
• Of the 28 remaining consent tasks, 26 are underway and have been progressed to varying degrees, and two are not yet started.

The paving work at Linden, where Transmission Gully joins the existing State Highway 1, was finished last weekend. While the road is starting to look finished from the southern end, much of the remaining construction work for road opening (such as on the stormwater system) is happening behind the hills.

Paving and work on the stormwater system are important construction elements the builder will be focusing on over the next couple of weeks, alongside the safety and quality assurance tests and consent tasks.

These need to be completed for the road to safely and legally open to traffic. The tests are important, not just to meet the contractual requirements, but so that there are no major issues that need to be repaired or redone after the road has opened – which could lead to frustrating closures for motorists. 

Once the safety, quality and environmental standards are met and the road is open, the PPP contract will move into the service phase – the 25-year maintenance and operations period which will be managed by WGP and their maintenance and operations subcontractor, Ventia, after which it will be handed to Waka Kotahi at an agreed standard.