New side barriers and motorcycle under-barriers will be installed between the twin bridges on the Featherston side of the hill and Marchant Road, Kaitoke. Road signs and markings on Remutaka Hill will also be improved and upgraded.

The work, which will be underway until June, will start during planned night closures, due to begin on 10 March.

Mark Owen, Regional Manager Lower North Island/Top of the South, says Remutaka Hill is one of our country’s most high-risk sections of highway. 

“Between 2014 and 2023 there have been 382 crashes on the route. Five of these were fatal crashes, and another 29 were serious injury crashes.”  

“Over 60 percent of those who were killed or seriously injured were motorcyclists. The new safety improvements being installed will help reduce this. Under-barriers are a proven protection system that reduces the rate of deaths and serious injuries for motorcycle crashes,” Mr Owen says.

“People make mistakes, and safety improvements like better barriers mean that when a mistake or crash occurs, there’s less chance of people being killed or seriously injured.”

Mr Owen says making the road safer brings other benefits too.

“This is a busy stretch of highway with over 7,000 vehicles, on average, travelling over the hill each day. If we reduce the number of serious crashes, we cut the number of times the highway has to be closed to manage them.“

Road closures on the hill can cause significant disruption, with an approximate three-hour detour via the Saddle Road or Pahiatua Track, the only other road options.

SH2 Remutaka Hill resurfacing work.

The safety improvements are just part of the work to be carried out during the planned night closures.

Mr Owen says there will also be a tremendous amount of maintenance work done on the highway, including road resurfacing, clearing slips and rockfall, repairing potholes, and renewing line markings.

“It’s been four years since we introduced planned night closures to maintain the route. The old approach saw around 300 stop/go road works carried out on the hill yearly, which meant drivers encountered road work delays almost daily.”

“Over 7,000 vehicles use State Highway 2 Remutaka Hill daily. But, on average, just over 300 use the route at night. Night-time closures are, overall, far less disruptive for drivers. Also, they let our work crews deliver high-quality work much faster,” Mr Owen says.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi and the Wellington Transport Alliance want to thank road users for their understanding and cooperation during the upcoming closures. It is essential work on a vital infrastructure link.

Important information for Remutaka Hill closures:

• Escorted crossings are available during closure nights but must be booked in advance. We always communicate well before planned closures and provide contact details so bookings can be made.
• Bookings can be made online on the Waka Kotahi website – Remutaka Hill closure escort booking form
• Bookings are essential – drivers who turn up without one risk being turned away. If you have a genuine emergency on the night, the hill manager will decide how best to help you.
• The escorted crossings are for light vehicles only. To keep our contractors safe, heavy vehicles can’t be accommodated.
• Full access is always available for emergency services.

State Highway 2, Remutaka Hill, planned night closures. January – June 2024

More information about planned maintenance closures for Remutaka Hill can be found on our website:

• SH2 Remutaka Hill road night closures
• Wellington Transport Alliance

Contractors will conduct resurfacing works on State Highway 2 near Clareville from Sunday 3 March, through to Thursday 14 March.

To ensure disruption for road users is minimised, the work will be carried out at night between 7pm and 6am, when traffic volumes are at their lowest.

Jetesh Bhula, Regional Manager Infrastructure Delivery, says after the works are completed road users will have a better road to drive on.

“Road surface issues, such as rutting, potholing, minor defects, loss of chip and bleeding will be worked on.”

“Some of the works are small, while others will need longer to complete, and it all must be done under controlled conditions to ensure road crews and drivers are kept safe,” Mr Bhula says.

While repairs are underway and shortly after completion, there will be reduced speed limits in place to let the repairs settle down. Temporary speed limits of 30 km/h will be in place at these areas.

Local road detours will be available on Hughes Line. However, drivers are encouraged to continue to use the highway and not use rural back roads.

Mr Bhula says it’s vital the highway be fixed.

“Given the investment in this project, the highway must be up to scratch, and the public has a good road to drive on. That’s why this work is being done.

“It appears a combination of a very wet winter last year and a hot and dry summer this year has drawn up moisture into the road layers and caused problems with the road surface. It’s important we get this fixed,” Mr Bhula says.

Mr Bhula acknowledges it is extra work for the project and further disruption for road users and residents but he says it is vital for the community and road users that it be done now.

“Getting the road right is the priority. We know the extra work will be frustrating for the community, but it makes sense to get the job done now while the weather is warm and dry and avoid further problems during wet weather over winter.”

The cost of the work will be covered out of the Masterton to Carterton Safety Improvement’s project budget.

People travelling between Masterton and Carterton can expect travel delays while this work is underway. Drivers are encouraged to allow extra time for their travel.

Works Schedule and Locations:

• Sunday 3 March, 7pm – 6am:
  • Stabilisation of the southbound lane near the Clareville Saddlery
• Monday 4 March, 7pm – 6am:  
  • Sealing of the previous night’s stabilised section. Stabilisation of the southbound lane adjacent to the rest area.
• Tuesday 5 March, 7pm – 6am:
  • Sealing of the previous night’s stabilised section.
• Wednesday 6 March, 7pm – 6am:
  • Stabilisation of the northbound lane from the old Norman Avenue entrance to the Norfolk Rd roundabout
• Thursday 7 March, 7pm – 6am:
  • Sealing of the previous night’s stabilised section. Stabilisation of the northbound lane from the Wiltons Rd roundabout to Ravensdown
• Friday 8 March, 8pm – 6am:
  • Sealing of the previous night’s stabilised section. Please note – crews will be starting at 8 pm to allow for weekend traffic.
• Sunday 10 March, 7pm – 6am:
  • Stabilisation of the northbound lane from the turnaround to the rest area
• Monday 11 March, 7pm – 6am:
  • Sealing of the previous night’s stabilised section.

Local road detours will be available on Hughes Line. However, all drivers are encouraged to stay on State Highway 2. This will minimise congestion and delays where local roads intersect with State Highway 2.

30 km/h temporary speed limits will be in place on resurfaced areas for 48 hours after the new chipseal is laid. It is essential drivers observe these speed limits to prevent damage to their cars and the new road surface.

More Information:

Further details about the State Highway 2 Masterton to Carterton safety improvements project can be found on our website.

SH2 Wairarapa highway improvements

The closure is needed so our team can install a new rubber seal into one of the bridge joints which runs across the full width of the road. At the same time they will install grates on the side drains along the eastern road approach.

The work is being done overnight to minimise disruption to road users, with the road closing from 9.30pm on Wednesday 6 March until 5.00 am on Thursday 7 March.

Detours will be via SH25 along the Thames coast and Coromandel township or via SH26/SH2/SH25 through the Karangahake Gorge, Waihi and Whangamata. Access for local traffic along SH25A will be maintained up to the bridge from both the east and west.

Work to finish the restoration of SH25A at the Taparahi worksite is expected to be completed by the end of March.

SH25A was reopened just before Christmas in December 2023, three months ahead of schedule.

Rob Service, System Manager Top of the South, says installing safety barriers along Whakatu Drive at these overbridges will help protect road users and the bridge structures in the event of a crash.

“Not only does it make the road safer for drivers, but better protection for the overbridges also reduces the chances of them being damaged – something that has the potential to cause huge disruption on the roading network. The more we can do to protect against this, the better it is for everyone,” Mr Service says.

He says installing the new concrete barriers along Whakatu Drive is a complex process.

“It has to be carried out in three stages. The first involves laying the foundations for the new barriers before their installation. Contractors will then install guardrails in front of the new barriers.”

“We must ensure the safety of our roading crews and road users during this work. This means speed limits will be reduced on Whakatu Drive between the two overbridges,” Mr Service says.

There will be closures of one of the southbound lanes through the work site to protect road users from the open excavation where road crews work.

Mr Service says this work will cause delays and drivers must factor this work into their travel.

“We are doing everything we can to minimise disruption to traffic by doing as much work as possible at night when fewer people are on the road. However, this is an arterial route, and the work will affect road users.”

From 17 to 27 March, when the barriers are installed, there will be night closures on State Highway 6 Whakatu Drive between the Annesbrook Roundabout and Link Road/Raeward Roundabout. 

“Please be aware of the work and adjust your travel accordingly, as the detours will mean longer travel times,” Mr Service says.

A local road detour via Main Road Stoke will be available for all road users. The barriers need to be lifted into place with a crane; doing this at night minimises disruption during the day. 

“We are aware Nelson City Council will undertake work on Main Road Stoke from Monday 4 to Friday 8 March and we are working closely with them to mitigate congestion during this time,” Mr Service says.

Mr Service acknowledges this is the third time State Highway 6 Whakatu Drive has been closed for work this season.  

“We would have liked to have completed the safety barrier installation during one of the previous closures. However, we have only just had the funding for this work approved.” 

“I certainly understand that more road works will be frustrating for people. But please, do bear with us; a safer highway is a better highway, and that’s a win for everyone.” Mr Service says.

Work Programme:

 Please note that traffic management and a reduced temporary speed limit will remain in place over the Easter weekend – Friday, 29 March to Monday, 1 April.

Detour route during night closures:

• People travelling to Nelson Airport or businesses on Quarantine Road will detour via Parkers Road and Pascoe Street.
• Access from Nelson Airport to the city will be via Quarantine Road, but temporary speed restrictions and traffic management will be in place.
• The shared path next to the highway will remain open for cyclists and pedestrians in both directions.
• The local road detour via Main Road Stoke has temporarily been approved by Nelson City Council for use by heavy vehicles.
• This detour is expected to add up to 10 minutes to travel times.

The 4.8km section of the Waikato Expressway had extensive work in the months before Christmas last year, and a final surface will be applied in March now those repairs have bedded in.

“We could not apply the final chip-seal surface until those repairs had been trafficked on and settled, which is why the site has been operating under a reduced speed limit,” says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Regional Manager of Infrastructure Delivery, Jo Wilton.

Contractors plan to lay the final surface from 6 March – weather permitting. Northbound lanes will be done first and take 2-3 days. During this time, the northbound on and off-ramps to the Rangiriri and Te Kauwhata interchanges will be closed and detours will be required.

Then from 17 March (and it could be earlier) the southbound lanes will be sealed, with on and off-ramps south closed and detours in place for 2-3 days. 

“While the final surface is being laid SH1 will remain open for through traffic, single lane in each direction, and with a speed restriction However those communities using the interchanges – like Rangiriri, Te Kauwhata and Glen Murray – will need to factor in detours to either the Hampton Downs or Ōhinewai interchanges and return,” Ms Wilton says.

“The detours will only be in place for the 2-3 days when sealing is happening in each direction, and the rest of the time the ramps will be open as traffic is moved through the site to bed in the new seal.”

People are urged to watch for mobile messaging boards, follow traffic management and allow extra time for their journeys.

SH1 Rangiriri map

What’s happening:

• Final surfacing along 4.8km of SH1 at Rangiriri
• Day works with traffic management in place 24/7
• Northbound ramps closed 6-7-8 March (weather dependent)
• Southbound ramps closed 17-18-19 March (weather dependent, or earlier).

Detours on sealing days:

• Northbound lane sealing requires closes northbound ramps to close; southbound sealing closes southbound ramps.
• Northbound traffic wishing to leave SH1 will need to go to Hampton Downs Interchange and return.
• Southbound traffic leaving SH1 during southbound sealing days will need to go to Ōhinewai Interchange and return.
• Similar detours will be required for local traffic wishing to go north during the northbound sealing: Access is via southbound ramps to Ōhinewai and return.
• Local traffic going south when the southbound ramps are closed should go north to Hampton Downs and return.
• Local roads are not part of the official detours.

Rangiriri, State Highway 1 – current site view.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises works will begin on Sunday 3 March and continue until Sunday 10 March (weather dependent). The work will be carried out at night between 8pm and 5am to minimise disruption to road users, however delays will occur.

This work involves milling out and resurfacing the road, including new road markings.

For the first 3 nights (3-5 March) stop/stop will be needed between Barrett Road and Te Karaka Drive. During this time there will be a one-hour traffic hold with a 10-minute traffic release to allow 60m sections to be milled and resurfaced. On 6,7 and 10 March, traffic control will revert to stop/go. There will be no works on Friday and Saturday, 8-9 March.

Road users can expect significant delays during these night works. Temporary speed limits will be in place during the day due to the worksite having a different level to the normal road, with ramps transitioning traffic between the sites, where required.

Te Karaka Drive Stream Bridge map

Road works have been a feature of people’s journeys across the Bay of Plenty this summer. We understand this has been frustrating for some drivers, but making the most of the warm and dry weather means our roads will be stronger and more resilient for longer.

We recommend checking Journey Planner before you begin your travel.

Journey Planner