Sealing under stop/go on State Highway 1 – Halletts Bay between Taupō and Tūrangi

Compaction testing has determined that sealing work can resume tomorrow (Wednesday 7 February) with temporary traffic management in place from 7am to 7pm, which will include stop/go, shoulder closures and reduced speed limits. The work will continue under stop/go for the remainder of the week and no full closures will be required.

This updates the traffic bulletin below.

Work resumes on Wednesday 7 February with temporary traffic management in place from 7am to 7pm, which will include stop/go, shoulder closures and reduced speed limits. It is expected that the work will continue under stop/go for the remainder of the week and no full closures will be required, however that will be determined by testing on Wednesday.

Moderate delays are still expected, we ask that you plan your journey and follow the instructions of our traffic management team.

The state highway network is key to travelling throughout the country, and this work is necessary to ensure the road is safe for everyone that travels on it. 

We encourage you to visit the Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic) so you can plan ahead and ensure you arrive at your destination on time.  

We understand this work may cause inconvenience. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we endeavor to make your journey safer.

The road will close on Monday 19, Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 of February for resurfacing.

The road will close each night at 8pm and reopen at 5am each day in time for early morning traffic to pass through.

An overnight closure is needed for the work to ensure the safety of workers using the machinery as this stretch of road is narrow and windy.

The resurfacing at Otoko also follows on from last year’s resurfacing work on SH2 north of Gisborne.

To minimise disruption, two nightly convoys will be in place to safely guide vehicles through the worksite in both directions.

Road users will be asked to be at the closure points at Whatatutu Road by 10.15pm and 1.15am, for northbound travellers, and Matawai Village at 10.30pm and 1.30pm for southbound travellers, and wait for the pilot vehicle to guide them through.

Unfortunately, due to the nature of the worksite and the narrow space available, over-dimensional vehicles won’t be able to be convoyed through.

This overnight work is weather dependent and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises all road users to regularly check our interactive Journey Planner for up to date, daily information. If the wet weather delays work at any stage, the road will be open that night.

Night works kick off on Sunday 11 February, with work taking approximately 5 weeks to complete. Workers will be on site Sunday to Thursday between 6pm and 6am each night, with SH1 closed between Waiouru and Rangipo during this time.  

State Highway 1 is a vital route for drivers of all kinds. From freight to holiday makers, military to mountaineers, it’s critical that the Desert Road remains in tip top shape, explains Andy Oakley, Waikato System Manager at NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). 

“Thousands of drivers use the Desert Road every day, enjoying some of the most stunning scenery that our network has to offer. To keep the road safe and accessible for everyone, we need to complete this important road rehabilitation,” says Mr Oakley.   

“Night closures provide the best opportunity to get these works done, with the least amount of overall disruption as possible.” 

Frequent travellers through the Central Plateau would have already experienced significant maintenance activity this summer, including works on State Highway 4 near the Makatote Rail Viaduct, work at Halletts Bay (Lake Taupō) and other works along the Desert Road.  

“There’s been a lot of work on our network this summer, as we try to make the most of the settled weather. We understand this causes disruption, and we thank drivers for their understanding and patience.  

“People should plan ahead, as the detour between Rangipo and Waiouru via State Highway 46, State Highway 47, SH4 and State Highway 49, back to SH1 and vice versa, will add approximately 30 minutes to journey times.  

“I encourage everyone to check the NZTA  journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic on the day of their travel to see the latest road and traffic conditions before they set out on their journey,” says Mr Oakley.  

This work forms part of the summer renewals programme, which sees approximately 2500 lane kilometres being renewed between October 2023 and mid-2024. 

For those travelling further south  

A sign posted detour will also be in place over the Pahiatua Track during closures on Saddle Road starting Monday 12 February. 

Saddle Road, which connects Ashhurst to Woodville, will close: 

Monday 12 February to Friday 23 February  

• Monday to Thursday: 9am and 4pm.
• Friday: 10am and 4pm.  

Saddle Road will remain open in the evenings and on weekends. 

The daytime closures will allow crews to carry out essential maintenance, including road repairs, drainage improvements and asphalt resurfacing. 

During these closure times, traffic will be detoured via State Highway 2 and over the Pahiatua Track. 

Saddle Road is currently the alternative State Highway 3 while construction is progressing on Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū – Tararua Highway. 

After Waitangi Day, contractors will be on site for up to 3 weeks installing approximately 860 metres of flexible median barrier along SH1 at the interchange

There will be a short period of Stop/Go on Thursday 8 February while the contractors are setting up on site and after that traffic will remain at one lane in each direction, under speed restrictions.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi thanks motorists for their patience.

As median barrier works are completed at the southern end of the 4km worksite, the temporary safety barriers will be moved north to continue median works and complete various pavement treatments in both the north and southbound lanes.

The barrier shift will require a series of night-time closures with traffic using the established detours around the site.

• Northbound closures: 11-22 February, Sunday to Thursday, 7pm-5am
• Southbound closures: 25 February-7 March , Sunday to Thursday, 7pm-5am

The Ngāruawāhia section is currently under Sunday-Thursday detours for ongoing surfacing works, and these end on Thursday 8 February.

The detour routes are different for each direction due to roadworks in Ngāruawāhia town which prevent southbound highway traffic using this route as a detour.  

The northbound detour takes SH1 traffic via Ngāruawāhia on the old highway between the Horotiu and Gordonton Road interchanges. HPMVs must use SH1B, and overweight vehicles need to use SH2/27, under an existing overweight permit.  

Southbound detour traffic will use SH1B, re-joining SH1 via Lake Road, however heavy vehicles (50 tonnes and above) must continue on SH1B, including the local road detour around Telephone Road, and connect to SH1 again at Cambridge or via SH26 into Hamilton

On-going work includes:

• Reshaping and strengthening the median area
• Drainage improvements
• Resurfacing, depending on the existing pavement condition.

A final, continuous asphalt surface will complete the repair works, replacing the temporary chipseal and asphalt surfaces which have been in place during earlier temporary repairs and while moisture monitoring was conducted.

The safety improvements needed to bring the road up to 110km/h standard include making side barriers continuous, upgrading some barriers, additional maintenance and turnaround bays for emergency services, shoulder widening and relocating some lighting.

The works are expected to finish in mid-2025 although the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and its contractors are continuing to look at programming and resources to have the work finish earlier.

9:55am update

However, there is significant congestion in the area and drivers can expect delays until queued traffic clears.

NZTA Waka Kotahi wants to thank motorists for their patience and cooperation while emergency services and contractors worked to clear this crash.

8:55am update

Drivers heading north out of Wellington can expect delays while emergency services attend a crash on the State Highway motorway near Tawa.

The highway is currently closed to northbound traffic between Glenside and Tawa off-ramps. The highway remains open to southbound traffic.

It follows a crash where a vehicle has rolled. The incident was reported just after 8:30 this morning.

Emergency services and contractors are at the scene and are working to reopen the motorway’s northbound lanes.

Drivers can expect significant delays until the crash scene is cleared. Motorists are encouraged to avoid the area and delay their travel.

Updates on the highway’s status can be found on our website.

Highway Conditions – Wellington

6:05pm update

NZTA Waka Kotahi wants to thank drivers for their patience and cooperation as emergency services and contractors worked hard to reopen the highway.

Just before 6pm, contractors and emergency services also cleared a crash that occurred the near of the Remutaka Hill Summit on State Highway 2. This incident was reported just after 5 pm and blocked the highway’s northbound lane.

Driving conditions remain challenging across the Wellington region. Road users should be prepared for hazards – slippery roads, high winds, treefalls, and slips. It’s also recommended to check weather and road conditions before travelling.

Highway conditions – Wellington

Metservice weather warnings

5:50pm update

The crash has been cleared and a northbound lane of the highway has been reopened.

Drivers can expect delays until queued traffic has cleared.

5:20pm update

Drivers heading up the Kāpiti Coast on State Highway 1 must be prepared for delays this evening following a crash on State Highway 1 near Ōtaki.

The multi-vehicle crash was reported on the Peka Peka to Ōtaki expressway near the Rahui Rd overbridge just before 5pm.

The highway is currently closed to northbound traffic and drivers should avoid the area or consider delaying their travel.

Northbound traffic can detour via Old State Highway 1 and then right on to Otaki Gorge Road.

Delays are expected until the crash scene is cleared. Drivers should factor this into their travel plans.

Weather conditions across the regions are also poor with strong wind, rain, and poor visibility  affecting the State Highway network. Drivers are urged to take extra care on the roads and drive to the conditions.