The New Zealand Transport Agency has announced simultaneous closures of State Highway 1 from March 3rd, affecting two sections of the highway - between Ātiamuri and Wairakei and between Putāruru and Lichfield. Both closures are expected to last approximately five weeks.
Key Information for Drivers:
- Through-traffic between Tīrau and Taupō should use State Highway 5 through Rotorua
- Travellers from Hamilton to Waiouru should use State Highways 3, 4, and 49 via National Park
- Local traffic can use State Highway 30, State Highway 32, and Poihipi Road
- Closure begins at 5 am Monday, March 3rd
- The expected duration is five weeks, weather-dependent
The closure will enable crews to complete significant road rebuilding work at four major sites, including foam bitumen stabilisation and structural asphalt work. NZTA Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations for Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Roger Brady, says the comprehensive approach will deliver long-term benefits for motorists.
"The biggest benefit is that instead of having four or five years of road work with constant stop-goes, we just get all the work done really quickly. So the overall inconvenience for the road user is significantly less, but it's somewhat more inconvenient for a short period of time."
Pre-Christmas Success
The upcoming works follow what NZTA describes as a successful completion of improvements between Tīrau and Putāruru before Christmas. Brady reports significant public satisfaction with the results.
"Before Christmas, I think things went really well. We got all the work done that was scheduled to be done, and when we opened the road, the feedback from the public was excellent, and I'm sure everybody agrees that we actually made a big difference in that piece of highway."
Enhanced Durability
A key focus of the current works is ensuring the long-term durability of repairs. Brady emphasises that these aren't just surface repairs but complete road rebuilding in many sections.
"Basically, the other reason we're closing the road is we're not just maintaining the surface. We're actually rebuilding the road, which you eventually have to do to stop potholes from forming. So I'm sure that for many years to come on the pieces of roads that we've rebuilt, people are gonna be enjoying hassle-free travel, for sure."
Local Traffic Management
Local traffic will need to use State Highway 30, State Highway 32, and Poihipi Road as alternative routes. Following concerns from previous closures, NZTA has implemented additional traffic management measures on local roads.
"We've done a lot more comms and engagement with people. We've engaged with local communities. We also learned that, in some cases, people are ignoring the detour routes; we've actually put additional temporary traffic management in place. We've actually put stop goes on local roads to try and discourage people from going through there.
Resource Constraints
Questions about 24/7 operations have been addressed by Brady, who explains that material supply, not labour, is the limiting factor. "We're basically working dusk till dawn, but we wouldn't achieve any greater production if we kept machines running because we'd be using the material quicker than we can deliver it," he explains.
Future Impact
While regular maintenance will continue, Brady confirms these works target the worst 20% of the highway, meaning significantly fewer major disruptions in the coming years. The project team aims to complete the works within the scheduled timeframe, weather permitting.
Residents or businesses with concerns during the closure period can contact NZTA via 0800 4HIGHWAYS or through the dedicated T2W email address available on the NZTA website.
