Motorists can breathe easier when New Zealand's most ambitious road maintenance project resumes on State Highway 1 between Tīrau and Waiouru on 1 September.
The SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru Accelerated Maintenance Project (T2W) will complete its second construction season with significantly less disruption than last year, when 24-hour road closures were used to accelerate the work.
NZTA Waikato Systems Manager Andrew Oakley confirmed no full road closures will be required this season, a welcome relief for the thousands of motorists who use this vital transport corridor daily.
"We're working closely with our contractor to minimise delays, especially on SH1 between Taupō and Tūrangi, where we will have four rebuild sites happening," Oakley said.
The only closures planned are short nighttime-only closures at Tīrau, between Tokoroa and Ātiamuri, and on the Desert Road. Crucially, there will be no full road closures between Taupō and Tūrangi, one of the busiest sections of the highway.
By early 2026, contractors will have rebuilt more than 66km – or 27 per cent – of SH1 between Tīrau and Waiouru. The project completed 49.4km of road rebuilding in its first season between September 2024 and April 2025.
This season will see final road surfacing completed on five sections, including the Desert Road, with road rebuilds and maintenance also planned between Taupō and Tūrangi, and on the edges of Tokoroa and Tīrau townships.
"We know road works are an inconvenience, and we'd like to thank all our communities and road users in advance for their patience," Oakley said.
