There are several projects underway on SH1 in and around the Taupō area to improve the safety and resilience of the state highway network.
We’re making sections of State Highway 1 (SH1) in the Taupō region safer to support the delivery of Road to Zero, New Zealand’s road safety strategy. Below is an overview of some of these projects in and around Taupō. We’re engaging with iwi partners, stakeholders and the community throughout the planning, design and construction stages of each project.
As part of Road to Zero, we’re making SH1 between Piarere and Taupō safer. Work to install Flexible median safety barriers and roadside barriers between Maroa Road and Tram Road starts in May 2022. This will be followed by safety improvements to the state highway between Ātiamuri Bridge and Thorpe Road.
Further safety improvements between Piarere and Taupō will follow during the next 10 years, after feasibility work is completed and funding allocated.
SH1 Piarere to Taupō – safe roads and roadsides
As part of Road to Zero, we’re making the state highway between the Wairakei roundabout and the SH5 Napier/Taupō Road roundabout safer.
Work to widen the road and install flexible median safety barriers and roadside barriers between Napier Road and Centennial Drive was completed in April 2022. The next stage between Centennial Drive and Wairakei is currently expected to start in late 2024, subject to funding.
Find out more about the safety improvements
We’re investigating options for safety improvements, including flexible median and roadside safety barriers, on SH1 from Taupō Airport to Hātepe, excluding the township of Waitahanui.
We’re engaging with iwi, stakeholders and the community throughout the feasibility and design stages. Construction could start in late 2023, subject to funding and other planning requirements.
SH1 Taupō to Hatepe safety improvements
Waka Kotahi has completed a number of studies into State Highway 1 looking south between Taupō and Waiouru. These studies look at improving the SH1 corridor between Taupō and Waiouru over the next 30 years.
SH1 Taupō-Waiouru planning work
We’ll be doing a large amount of roadworks in and around the Taupō area again from October to improve the roads, increase safety and make people’s journeys more enjoyable. In some cases, this work will involve ripping up the road and rebuilding it, and in others resealing the road.
Some of the region's significant work sites this season included four sections of road between Taupō and Tūrangi,including Hatepe Hill and significant resealing between Ātiamuri and Taupō.
Roadworks in the region(external link)
