What is happening on our roads
The latest update from New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi on the Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance project.
UPCOMING ROAD REBUILDING – SH1 Tirau to Waiouru (T2W) Accelerated Maintenance Project
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is underway with a major project to improve the condition of State Highway 1 (SH1). The SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance project sees NZTA carrying out a programme of work where they will be closing full sections of the state highway. This new approach requires a series of full block closures and associated detours.
What you need to know
From 5am Thursday 21 November 2024, SH1 will be closed from SH1/Princes Street, Putāruru to SH1/SH32 Tokoroa Intersection. Work will take 4 weeks to complete (weather permitting).
All north and south bound SH1 vehicles will be detoured via Princes St - Putāruru, Arapuni St, Arapuni Road, Waotu Rd, Old Taupo Rd, SH32 - Tokoroa and vice versa.
In Putāruru, between SH1/Princes Street intersection and the worksite which starts just south of Vospers Road, Lichfield and then SH1 south from Rollett Road are still accessible to everyone, but we cannot put the road closure there as we need to detour those on longer journeys down appropriate detours.
Southbound traffic will not be able to travel further south beyond Vospers/Ngatira Road. Northbound traffic will only be able to travel as far north as SH1 Rollett Road.
The "hard closure" (the worksite) is approximately 13km long, from Vospers Road to Rollett Road. Within this hard closure, there will strict requirements before anyone can go into that area as there will be a multitude of machines and people working on the road at all times of the day and night. If you need access to a residential property or business, please contact us
Additional signage will be placed at the detour points advising businesses beyond this point are still open. We need to advise the detour earlier to those on longer journeys so they can utilise the appropriate state highways.
The detour will remain in place for the duration of the works to maximise the efficiency of the construction work on SH1 while ensuring safety for both the team and the public.
Additional closures along SH1 between Putāruru and Tokoroa will be required in 2025 once scope of works and scheduling is confirmed.
Emergency services will have full access through all parts of the site at all times.
Additional information
Our construction crews will generally work during daylight from dawn to dusk up to 7 days a week, and during the night there will be additional works such as road milling, truck movements, planning and logistical work (such as carting materials on to site, refuelling and getting the site ready) so the teams can start again at dawn the next day. The safety of road users, the community and our teams is incredibly important to us. Please be patient, follow all instructions of our teams and comply with any signage or crew instructions.
Drones will be used for site surveying. These operations are scheduled to take place within construction hours, with potential adjustments based on weather conditions and project requirements. The use of drones is essential to enhance the efficiency, safety, and accuracy of our construction efforts. Drone flights are conducted by Part102 operators and in compliance with Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations.
This work forms part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund. There will be other closures planned on other parts of SH1 over the next few months, so make sure you check the NZTA Journey Planner (journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic) if you are travelling.
How you can contact NZTA
You can receive regular updates on this major project by signing up to a regular e-newsletter on the NZTA website.
The contact details for this project are:
- Email: SH1Waikato@nzta.govt.nz
- Other NZTA queries 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)
