The 2022/23 road maintenance season will see 100 lane kilometres resealed or rebuilt over the summer period. This programme of work is significantly larger than last year.
It is important that drivers follow the temporary traffic management in place and adhere to all speed restrictions in place for the safety or road users and crews alike.
Speeding over a freshly sealed road can damage the new seal, lifting and flicking stones from the road that can, in turn, damage nearby vehicles or your own.
To minimise the risk of damage to both vehicles and the new seal, it is crucial that road users adhere to all temporary speed restrictions in place.
Given the volume of roadworks taking place this year, we acknowledge that at times there will be considerable disruption to travel across the region. Before leaving for your destination check the Journey Planner for the most up to date information on the state highway network.
You can see all the roadworks planned for state highways across the Taranaki region on this interactive map.
Interactive map(external link)
|
Location |
Work activity |
Timeframe |
Impact |
|
SH3, Awakino Tunnel Bypass |
Asphalt resurfacing |
November 2022 – March 2023 |
Delays of approximately 15 minutes. |
|
SH3, Stratford – Finnerty to Bird Road |
Road rehabilitation |
March – April 2023 |
SH3 closed to northbound traffic. Delays of approximately 10–20 minutes for southbound traffic. |
|
SH3 Midhirst overbridge |
Asphalt renewal |
3–7 March 2023 |
Multiple road closures |
|
SH43, Tahora Saddle |
Road rehabilitation |
February – April 2023 |
|
|
SH3, Midhirst – overbridge north of Denbigh Road |
Road rehabilitation |
March 2023 |
|
| SH44, New Plymouth – Dawson Street to Kitchener Terrace |
Asphalt resurfacing |
Complete |
|
| SH45, New Plymouth – Lynmouth Heights to Bayly Street | Asphalt resurfacing | Complete | |
| SH45, Manaia – Roundabout | Asphalt resurfacing | Complete | |
| SH3, Stratford – Fenton to Romeo Street | Asphalt resurfacing | Complete | |
| SH3, Stratford – Seyton to Regan Street | Asphalt resurfacing | Complete | |
| SH3, Mt. Messenger | Asphalt resurfacing | Complete | |
| SH3, Eltham – King Edward Street to Conway Road | Asphalt resurfacing | Complete | |
| SH3, Eltham – between Conway and Maata Roads | Asphalt resurfacing | Complete | |
| SH3, South of Uruti | Road rehabilitation | Complete | |
| SH3, Tangahoe – Tangahoe River bridge | Road rehabilitation | Complete | |
| SH3, north of Onaero | Road rehabilitation | Complete | |
| SH3, Inglewood – between Durham and Norfolk Roads | Road rehabilitation | Complete | |
| SH3, Manawapou – Manawapou River bridge | Road rehabilitation | Complete | |
| SH3, Mokoia | Road rehabilitation | Complete | |
| SH3, Hāwera – Waihi Road between Fantham and Hunter Streets | Road rehabilitation | Complete |
On Friday 3 June 2022, State Highway 4 was closed between the intersections of State Highway 43 and Okahukura Bridge Road, after a collapsed culvert created a large hole on the side of the road. The road has since been reinstated to one lane under traffic light stop/go with delays of approximately 5–10 minutes. Temporary drainage has now been installed, however the road will remain under traffic light stop/go until a longer term solution can be implemented.
On Tuesday 14 June 2022, the heavy rainfall also caused a large under slip on State Highway 3, south of Awakau Road in the Awakino Gorge, causing damage to the road pavement as well as nearby guardrails, fences and drainage. The area is currently under traffic light stop/go with delays of approximately 5–10 minutes and Downer crews are monitoring the site 24/7 to ensure the safety of road users. Safety barriers have been installed while investigations into potential long–term solutions are ongoing.
Waka Kotahi and Downer are working to confirm long term solutions to address the collapsed culvert on SH4 and the under slip on SH3. Solutions are likely to be complex and will require several months to implement due to the high level of damage at both sites.
State Highway 3 at Tongapōrutu north of Hutiwai Road is currently down to one lane under traffic light stop/go due to an underslip caused by heavy rainfall, damaging the northbound lane. A geotechnical assessment has taken place and the site will likely be down to one lane until further notice while a long-term solution is established.
The road is down to one lane between Mangarongo and Paekaka roads and is being controlled by traffic lights with delays of 5–10 minutes. Investigations into possible long–term solutions are taking place. The road will remain under traffic light stop/go for the foreseeable future.
Motorists are asked to take care after rain caused an underslip on State Highway 43 at Herlihy Bluff, south of Taumarunui. The road was closed temporarily on Sunday 29 January while crews worked to repair the site. The road has since opened to one lane, while further investigations are completed to determine a plan for fully reinstating the road.
If you have questions about highway maintenance, have a look at our highway maintenance frequently asked questions.
Highway maintenance frequently asked questions(external link)
Occasionally you may experience an issue on the state highway network that results in damage to your vehicle. Examples of this include chipped windscreens when driving on a section of newly sealed road, or tyre damage when driving over a pothole.
Waka Kotahi, through its road maintenance contracts, has an obligation to take reasonable care to maintain the state highway network in good condition. However, in doing so we're constrained by available funding, weather events and resources. For this reason, we can't guarantee that the entire network will ever be free of defects.
You should drive to the local conditions, and recognise that conditions may vary along a stretch of road. You should have insurance for your vehicle in the event of any damage that may occur on the road, and your insurer should be your first point of contact when any damage has occurred.
Watch our video to find out why summer is the best time to carry out roadworks.
Watch our video for tips on driving safely through worksites
Watch our video with advice for driving on freshly laid chipseal
Major infrastructure works to make SH3 safer between Waitara and Bell Block will get underway early in the new year.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency contractors have almost complete work to install stormwater infrastructure which will support a new roundabout and underpass at the SH3/Princess Street intersection. Construction of the Princess Street roundabout and underpass is schedule to start early 2023. Waitara Road roundabout design is underway with construction planned to start late 2023.
With support from the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is undertaking a project to seal 12km of unsealed road through the Tangarakau Gorge. The first 2.1km of road through the Gorge was completed in May 2022. Other improvements for the route are also underway with support from the regional package of the NZ Upgrade Programme. These improvements include roadside safety barriers installed at three locations, warning signs and road markings have also been installed. Work on the new two-lane bridge over Kahouri Stream is on track to begin early 2023.
Improvements are underway on SH3 from Awakino Gorge to Mt Messenger to improve safety, resilience and route availability. This 58km section of SH3 is Taranaki’s main route north, it runs through rough terrain and is winding and narrow.
