Traffic management will continue on roads around Taupō as five sites leading to the new Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre require a 30-day undisturbed curing period for newly laid asphalt.
"While it may look like nothing is happening beyond the cones, it is essential to give the asphalt time to cure and be ready for installing the weigh-in-motion scales," says NZTA Regional Manager for Infrastructure Delivery, Darryl Coalter.
"The asphalt layer at each site needs time to harden and gain strength. The new layer needs to be undisturbed for 30 days so that it hardens sufficiently for contractors to make precise cuts into it to fit the weigh-in-motion weigh plates," Coalter explained.
NZTA officials emphasise that running traffic over the newly laid asphalt would risk it crumbling, as it has been installed at precise levels to ensure proper functioning of the scales.
The scales are being installed on five roads approaching the safety centre: SH1 north and south of the SH1/5 roundabout, SH5 east of the roundabout, Napier Road west of the roundabout, and nearby Crown Road.
To minimise disruption, temporary lanes have been constructed on road shoulders, allowing traffic to flow around the work areas with only minor delays expected. Speed restrictions remain in place throughout the affected areas.
The curing period will run from the end of April to the end of May.
The Taupō weight station is one of 12 facilities NZTA is building on high-volume freight routes nationwide for NZ Police to operate as part of the national Commercial Vehicle Safety Programme. The technology will screen passing traffic and direct suspected non-compliant heavy vehicles into the safety centre for police inspection of weights, road user charges, certificates of fitness, logbooks and driver impairment.
