Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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A piece of Taranaki’s Second World War history has recently been uncovered during work on Te Ara Tūtohu: SH3 Waitara to Bell Block.

Two Home Guard rifle pits were found to the north of the intersection of State Highway 3 (SH3) and De Havilland Drive in Bell Block.

It’s likely they were constructed between 1941 and 1942 as a defensive position to protect the Bell Block Aerodrome on Te Arei Road, which was being used as a Royal New Zealand Air Force training base, from a potential invasion by Japanese forces.

The Home Guard was formed in 1940 in response to the potential threat posed by the Empire of Japan during the Second World War. Membership was initially voluntary but became compulsory from 1942 for men aged 35-50.

Home Guard – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand(external link)

“These are textbook Home Guard pits,” says project archaeologist Daniel McCurdy. “These are so textbook, that in fact one of them conforms exactly (within a few inches) to the standard set out for the Home Guard. However, instead of an optional drainage trench at the base, the men chose to place timbers instead, likely reclaimed from the local farm.”

There have been a number of archaeological finds on Te Ara Tūtohu since physical works began in 2023. The project works closely with archaeologists and cultural monitors in these instances. Depending on what is found, the find may be removed or documented and left in place.

“The area we are working in is historically significant. It’s important that whenever we come across a potential archaeological find in the course of our work that we take the time necessary to investigate,” says Te Ara Tūtohu project manager Calvin Rorke.

“I know that I, and many of us working on Te Ara Tūtohu, have learnt a lot about the history of this area through our work on the project.”

Te Ara Tūtohu: Waitara to Bell Block project

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Late April and early May will see maintenance works underway on State Highway 2 between Masterton and Carterton.

Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Alliance Manager, says contractors will complete a wide range of maintenance tasks.

“They will be fixing safety barriers – we have four recent barrier strikes that need to be fixed. It is critical damaged barriers are fixed as they are instrumental in preventing head on collisions.

“They will also be doing line marking and carrying out water cutting – this removes excess bitumen from the road surface, improves road grip, and makes it safer to drive on,” Ms Hilliard says.

Ms Hilliard says the work requires road closures over five consecutive nights, and State Highway 2 will be closed to traffic in both directions.

“We appreciate full closures do affect drivers. However, with winter approaching it is vital this section of the highway is in the best shape it can be for the winter months ahead.”

The work will be underway from Sunday, 27 April to Thursday, 1 May. The highway will be closed to north and southbound traffic each night between 9 pm and 4 am (works conclude Friday, 2 May at 4 am).

Ms Hilliard says local road detours will be available via Chester and Norfolk Road, and Cornwall Road and Hughes Line (see work and detour details below).

“Because these are local roads, road users must drive to the conditions, obey the speed limit, and be patient if there is queued traffic. We want people to get to their destinations safely.”

Drivers travelling through Wairarapa also need to be aware of other road works on State Highway 2 that will affect their journeys. This includes road rebuild work in Greytown and drainage works in Masterton.

It is essential people plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi and the Wellington Transport Alliance thank the public for their patience and cooperation while these essential state highway maintenance works are completed.

Works schedule and detour routes

• Sunday, 27 April to Thursday 1 May. 9 pm – 4 am
• State Highway CLOSED in both directions between Chester and Norfolk Roads
• Sunday and Monday nights (27 and 28 April):
  • Northbound traffic detour via Chester and Norfolk Roads
  • Southbound traffic detour via Cornwall Road and Hughes Line
• Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights (29 April – 1 May):
  • All traffic must detour via Hughes Line and Cornwall Road.

View larger night closures map [PDF, 365 KB]

More information

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Community consultation has concluded, results have been analysed, and decisions have been made on speed limits for 49 state highway corridors, with most locations set to return to their previous higher speed limits.

On 29 January 2025, the Minister of Transport confirmed that 38 sections of state highway were subject to speed limit auto-reversal under the Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024, with a further 49 sections open to community consultation to confirm whether there was public support to retain current lower speed limits. 

Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) carried out six weeks of public consultation on these 49 sections of state highway between 30 January and 13 March, and the NZTA Board considered the consultation results earlier this month.

Over 21,500 people had their say, and based on their feedback, 43 locations will return to their previous higher speed limits, with six remaining at their current lower speed limits.

The six locations that demonstrated public acceptance, as required by the Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024, to keep their current lower speed limit were: 

• SH30 Rotorua South  
• SH5 Waipā State Mill Road 
• SH5 Waiotapu
• SH3 Whanganui 
• SH3 Palmerston Northeast to Whakarongo
• SH94 Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound.  

Local road users and communities in these six locations made their support for the current lower speed limits clear through consultation feedback:

• More than 50 per cent of respondents asked for the current lower speed limits to be retained for each of these locations. NZTA can now confirm that these lower speed limits will remain in place.  
• Public support levels for the other 43 sections of state highway did not reach a similar level of support, with less than 50 per cent of respondents wishing to retain lower speed limits. 
• NZTA will now add these 43 locations to its wider list of speed limit reversals and will begin notifying local communities in each of the locations about upcoming signage changes.

Implementation of the speed limit reversals will be rolled out in monthly tranches, with all reversals to be in effect by 1 July 2025, as required by the Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024. 

NZTA acknowledges there are a wide range of opinions on speed limits, and thanks everyone who took the time to share their views.  A summary of feedback received through the consultation process is available here:

Consultation summary report – Speed reversals [PDF, 1.9 MB]

This feedback will be valuable in shaping future speed reviews. This includes concerns voiced by local schools and marae. 

NZTA will now work with those schools and iwi, hapū, and marae to see what other safety interventions, such as Variable Speed Limits (VSLs), can be applied under the Rule to help them keep vulnerable users safe. 

VSLs are required by the Rule to be implemented outside all schools by 1 July 2026. 

Work is continuing separately on consultation on 16 of the 38 sections of state highways subject to auto-reversal requirements under the Rule, but where local communities have given strong feedback that they want to keep lower speeds.  
 
For consultation on these 16 sections of state highway, NZTA is required to follow different process under the Rule. This involves undertaking a full speed review, which includes looking at technical, safety, cost and economic data, alongside consultation feedback, before being able to confirm final speed limit outcomes.

Consultation on these 16 sections of state highway is open for six weeks, between 2 April and 14 May, and the results of this phase of work will be known in June.  

If the new speed reviews determine a lower speed should be confirmed, instead of the higher one set through the reversal process, this change will take place immediately after 1 July 2025.

More information about the sections of state highway currently under consultation can be found on the NZTA website:  

New consultation on urban connectors 

More details on the sections of state highway reversing to their previous higher limits is also available on the NZTA website can be found here: 

Speed reversals and consultation – transitional changes in 2024-25

Notes to editors:  

• The new Setting of Speed Limits Rule (the Rule) requires that a range of specified roads managed by NZTA and local council road controlling authorities (RCAs), where speed have been lowered since January 2020, must automatically reverse back to their previous higher speeds by 1 July 2025. 

• While NZTA has published a list of 89 road locations on state highways that are required to reverse, the Rule also allowed for the agency to consult on some state highways in two of the five categories (rural connectors and inter-regional connectors), before confirming its final list for implementation. 

• There are five categories of specified roads required to auto-reverse under the Section 11 Transitional provisions of the Rule. These categories are managed by both local government and NZTA. NZTA was the only road controlling authority (RCA) able to consult on retaining current lower speed limits on some state highways as part of these provisions in two of the five categories – rural connectors and interregionals.   

• All RCAs must confirm their lists to reverse to the Director of Land Transport in May 2025, for uploading to the National Speed Limits Register (NSLR). Implementation is required to take place by 1 July 2025.   

• An additional 16 locations included in NZTA’s list of specified roads are now going through full new speed reviews under different provisions of the rule. If the new speed reviews determine a lower speed should be confirmed instead of the higher one set through the reversal process, this change will take place immediately after 1 July 2025. The results of these speed reviews will be known in June 2025. 

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NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is progressing design investigations within the emerging preferred corridor for Section 2 and Section 3 of the Northland Corridor Roads of National Significance project announced by Transport Minister, Hon. Chris Bishop earlier today.

The emerging preferred corridor for the 45km section between Te Hana and Port Marsden Highway (Section 2) and the 26km section between Port Marsden Highway and Whangārei (Section 3) allow further work to get underway to deliver benefits faster for Northland communities and businesses. 

The individual sections within the emerging preferred corridor are: 

Section 2: Te Hana to Port Marsden Highway  

• Section 2A: A new route to the east of SH1 between Te Hana and Brynderwyn Hills​ 
• Section 2B: A new route to the near east of SH1 at the Brynderwyn Hills​ 
• Section 2C: A new route to the west of SH1 between Brynderwyn Hills and Port Marsden​ Highway 

Section 3: Port Marsden Highway to Whangārei  

• Section 3A: A new road near to SH1 between Port Marsden Highway and SH15 Loop Road
• ​Section 3B: A widened existing SH1 corridor approaching urban Whangārei  

NZTA Northland Corridor Programme Director, Derek Robertson, says NZTA is working at pace to deliver a safer, more resilient and more efficient road for Northland.

“The Northland Corridor will address the critical resilience and safety issues facing the current road.”  

Mr Robertson acknowledges that while this is a very exciting time for Northland, it’s an uncertain time for landowners in the emerging preferred corridor area. 

“Now that we have identified the emerging preferred corridor, we will start contacting potentially impacted landowners who are within the area to let them know the next steps. Due to the size of the project, this will take time, but we are working hard to contact landowners as quickly as we can.  

“The emerging preferred corridor is a larger area than will be required for the final route. Within the emerging preferred corridor there are still several different places the road may go.    

“The next piece of work we do will be to refine this route further so we understand more about where the final road will go, and the land that may be required for it.  

“We expect to narrow down the emerging preferred corridor to the preferred route for NZTA Board for endorsement in August/September this year. After that we will be able to confirm the preferred route and provide landowners with greater certainty about any impacts to their properties.” 

Alongside this, NZTA is continuing work on Section 1 Ara Tūhono – Warkworth to Te Hana. The procurement process got underway last month and detailed design and construction for this section is expected to begin at the end of next year. A completion date for Ara Tūhono – Warkworth to Te Hana will be confirmed following procurement but is currently expected to be around 2034. 

“The Northland Corridor will be a vital link between Northland and Auckland, unlocking economic growth and productivity, and allowing people and freight to move efficiently, quickly and safely across the region. It will bring the resilience Northland needs to thrive after years of significant road closures due to severe weather events,” Mr Robertson says.

For more information about the Northland Corridor, please visit:

Northland Corridor

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Temporary speed restrictions will remain in place at the site of a slip on State Highway 1 Brynderwyn Hills.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) says the slip reduced traffic to a single lane for a short, 3-4 hour period on Sunday evening before the road was reinstated to 2 lanes with a temporary speed restriction still in place.

SH1 Brynderwyn Hills suffered significant damage from severe weather events in early 2023, resulting in severe underslips and overslips. A range of recovery and enabling works were then carried out, finishing last year, to help the road better withstand future weather events.

The work, which included soil nailing, mesh, drainage improvements and benching (levels cut into the hillside), reduces the likelihood of overslips by contributing to a more stable hillside.  The wider road shoulder also provides space to clear any slips with less disruption to traffic, in the event one does occur.

Auckland and Northland Regional Manager Maintenance and Operations, Jacqui Hori-Hoult, says the slip highlighted the effectiveness of recent recovery works by minimising disruption to traffic.

“Keeping this key route open during severe weather events, like Cyclone Tam, was exactly what the recently completed recovery work was designed for.

“The benches caught falling trees and debris, preventing the majority of the slip from reaching the road, avoiding a full highway closure and ensuring we were able to maintain access for road users at all times across the busy Easter holiday weekend.”

Crews will continue to monitor the slip and work to remove the trees and debris on the benches above the highway will take place on Thursday, ahead of the long weekend.

Delays due to the temporary speed restrictions were minimal, even with an increase in traffic due to the holidays.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience as our crews worked hard across the weekend to keep traffic moving safely and efficiently across the region.”

Longer-term, a Brynderwyn Hills alternative will be part of the Te Hana to Port Marsden section of the Northland Corridor, made up of 3 Roads of National Significance (RoNS).

For more information about the resilience work, please visit:

SH1 Brynderwyn Hills | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi

For more information about the Northland Corridor, including Section 2 Te Hana to Port Marsden, which includes a Brynderwyn Hills alternative, please visit:

Northland Corridor | NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi

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There are brighter days ahead for Tairua with progress on a new 2-lane bridge on State Highway 25 (SH25), which will cull queues of holiday traffic at the single-lane Pepe Stream Bridge. 

The replacement bridge project is now in the procurement phase ahead of construction starting late next year says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). 

“The business case developed by NZTA in 2022 along with engagement with iwi and stakeholders has determined that the preferred option is a 2-lane bridge with an attached shared walking and cycling path to replace the single-lane bridge and a separate pedestrian bridge,” says Regional Manager Infrastructure Delivery, Darryl Coalter. 

Later this month a community information session will be held at Tairua to update the community and SH25 users on what’s ahead. 

“With funding confirmed, there is a lot of work ahead to get the bridge designed and consented, but the countdown is on for construction to start by late 2026. All going well NZTA’s target is to have traffic on the new bridge by Christmas 2027. 

“While NZTA engaged with the community as part of the Business Case development, we are keen to hear what’s important to people who live, work or holiday in the area,” Mr Coalter says. 

The project team will be at the Tairua Community Hall on Wednesday 30 April, and people can call in any time between 3pm and 6pm. 

NZTA will be seeking a design and build contract and expects to have a contractor in place later this year. Construction methodology is critical because SH25 needs to remain open during the build. 

The current bridge crosses a tidal stream on SH25 south of the Tairua town centre.

The project is part of a wider bridge programme to improve safety, efficiency and resilience on the state highway around the peninsula. 

Work will begin later this year at the Boundary Creek Bridge on the Thames Coast north of Te Mata.  Design of a new 2-lane bridge to replace the single lane bridge Ramarama Stream Bridge on SH25, just north of Whiritoa, is also underway.   

 

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State Highway 4 (SH4) between Manunui and National Park has reopened early to 1 lane this afternoon under stop/go, and will be fully reopen by the end of the day under a temporary speed limit.

The highway has been closed since Monday morning 14 April for emergency repairs, due to the discovery of a tomo (cavity) under the road at Mansons Siding, Raurimu.

“The tomo was likely formed due to erosion from a concentration of moisture under the road,” says Sandra King, System Manager Waikato for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

“Repairs involved excavating 5 metres below the road level. The team constructed a drainage blanket at the base of the excavation and again at approximately 2 metres deep to ensure any moisture in this sensitive geological location was able to drain.

“Contractors finished building material back up to 400mm below surface this morning and are reinstating the pavement now,” Ms King says.

The speed limit will remain over the Easter weekend to allow the surface to settle safely before contractors return next week to prep the surface and seal.

Ms King advises road users to take care through the site and thanks them for their patience.

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As work progresses on a hi-tech weigh station at Taupō, traffic will continue to be managed through works on the surrounding state highways and local roads.

Five sites leading to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre are having in-road weighing technology installed and these will be coned off for 30 days from late April/early May to cure the asphalt before the technology is installed advises NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA)

“So 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 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.

“We can’t remove the traffic management and run traffic over it because it has been laid at precise levels so the scales work properly when they are installed. We want to avoid the risk of the soft asphalt crumbling.”

The scales are being installed on 5 of the roads heading towards the safety centre:

• SH1 north of the SH1/5 roundabout
• SH1 south of the roundabout
• SH5 east of the roundabout
• Napier Road west of the roundabout
• Nearby Crown Road.

Temporary lanes have been built on the road shoulders to allow traffic to pass around the work areas and minimise the use of stop/go or temporary detours.  Speed restrictions are in place and only minor delays are expected.

The curing period will run from the end of April to the end of May.

The Taupō weight station is 1 of 12 facilities NZTA is building on high-volume freight routes around the country for NZ Police to operate. The safety centres are part of the national Commercial Vehicle Safety Programme.

This technology will screen passing traffic and direct any suspected non-compliant heavy vehicles into the safety centre. Police officers on site will check vehicle weights, road user charges, certificates of fitness, logbooks and driver impairment.

Read more about the Commercial Vehicle Safety Centres:

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Programme (CVSP)

 

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With severe weather arriving ahead of the busy Easter holiday period, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is advising road users in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, to be prepared and take extra care on the roads.

Heavy rain and strong winds are forecast, with MetService issuing a severe weather warning from tonight until end of day on Friday 18 April for Coromandel and Western Bay of Plenty.

The orange warning is likely to be extended further into the Waikato and across the Kaimai Range.

With school holidays, and Easter approaching, it’s busier than usual on our roads, and Waikato Journey Manger for NZTA, Andrew Brosnan, urges motorists to be vigilant.

“Essentially, the message is –  be ready for difficult driving conditions. There’s the potential for surface flooding and slips. Anticipate that there could be trees or debris on the road just around the next corner. There’s also a risk of downed powerlines – so expect the unexpected.

“If you need to travel, allow extra time for your journey. Slow down and keep a safe following distance from the vehicle in front. Keep your headlights on to increase visibility.

“Thunderstorms are possible on Friday. While the current estimate is up to 250 mm of rain to fall on the Comomandel Ranges, there is potential for this to increase.

“Be aware that streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Strong winds are creating dangerous coastal conditions around the upper North Island, with large waves potentially causing coastal inundation and erosion. The highest risk for the Coromandel is around high tide.”

NZTA contractors are out clearing critical drainage areas on the network and have crews on standby to manage any issues as the weather takes hold.

Road uses should be aware that there may be some areas of the network where traffic management or temporary speed limits are in place. There will be traffic management in place on State Highway 25 at the Pepe Steam Bridge at Tairua over both Easter and Anzac weekends, to help keep traffic moving over the holiday period.

“Please adhere to temporary speed limits and follow the directions of traffic management in work zones, even if you can’t see active work underway. It is there for your protection, the protection of workers and other motorists. This is especially important in poor weather,” Mr Brosnan says.

Plan ahead before you travel with the Easter and Anzac travel advisory in the NZTA Journey Planner.

Easter and Anzac holiday weekends 2025 | NZTA Journey Planner(external link)

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Poor weather has delayed the opening of two new intersections at Tauriko.

The new intersection in Tauriko Village will now open with a temporary layout on Monday 5 May, providing access to a new carpark for Tauriko School and Playcentre.  

The new roundabout at the intersection of SH29 and Redwood Lane will now open on Wednesday 7 May. 

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) apologises for the delay.

This updates the information below:

---

16 April:

Road users will be enjoying 2 new Tauriko West intersections by May, as part of the State Highway 29 (SH29) Tauriko Enabling Works project. 

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises that a new intersection in Tauriko Village, near where the former service station was, will open with a temporary layout on Tuesday 29 April, providing access to a safer, new carpark for Tauriko School and Playcentre.  

Motorists will be travelling through a new roundabout at the intersection of SH29 and Redwood Lane from Thursday 1 May, also under temporary layout. 

Regional Manager Infrastructure Delivery Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Darryl Coalter, says the opening of these intersections is a step towards a better connected Tauriko West. 

“March marked 1 year of construction on this project, and we’re thrilled with the progress that’s being made. These 2 intersections are integral pieces of the puzzle and will result in safer and more efficient ways to move around Tauriko once completed. 

“They will open in temporary states to enable new work areas and allow the team to continue their hard work on the surrounding infrastructure, while facilitating traffic to continue flowing. 

“We’re also pleased to be handing over a new, safer carpark for the school and Playcentre community.” 

The new road off SH29 in Tauriko Village will also link to the planned community in Tauriko West, being developed to help accommodate Tauranga’s growing population. 

Tauranga City Tauriko Ward Councillor Marten Rozeboom says the project is reaching a special milestone with the 2 new intersections.  

“Regular users of SH29 have seen significant changes take place over the past 12 months, and they’ll soon be able to use the new layout and experience how much easier it makes travelling this route.” 

The Tauriko Village intersection will eventually feature additional lanes and be signalised with traffic lights. although it will initially open without lights while the team works on the surrounding infrastructure. This includes constructing retaining and noise walls; stormwater, wastewater, and power upgrades; and widening SH29 to allow for additional lanes and a shared path through Tauriko Village. 

The intersection will remain in a temporary configuration until early 2026, with further layout changes to come while work is undertaken on the southern side of SH29. More information will be communicated closer to the time.  

At Redwood Lane, traffic will be switched across to the new, temporary single-lane layout, which will see motorists on SH29 shifted slightly to the west of the current state highway lanes to approach the new roundabout. 

Once completed, the roundabout will have 2 lanes travelling in each direction. When it first opens it will have 1 lane in each direction while work continues on widening SH29 on the eastern side, along with extending the pedestrian and cycle underpass beneath the road and completing the Kaweroa Drive extension of the roundabout. 

The Kaweroa Drive extension, accessed via the fourth leg directly opposite Redwood Lane, won’t be in use until the roundabout works are completed. This is expected be in late 2025/early 2026.  

Road users and the local community should prepare for:  

Tauriko Village 

Overnight on Wednesday April 23 and again on Monday 28 April (between 6pm and 6am) there will be a stop/go and temporary speed limit of 30km/h to relocate the safety barriers on SH29 through Tauriko Village in preparation for a new intersection opening on Tuesday 29 April.

From Tuesday 29 April there will be a stop/go operation and temporary speed limit of 30km/h for night works to install safety barriers along the northern side of SH29 in the Tauriko Village. This work is expected to take 5 nights and continue into the following week.  

As part of this work, traffic lanes will be shifted to the southern side of SH29 to allow for the upcoming widening work on the northern side of SH29. Traffic lanes will be maintained in both directions, along with the flush median down the centre of the road and access to businesses and residential properties will remain. However, there will be a reduction in the width of the shoulder along each side of the road, meaning reduced space available for entering and exiting driveways and heading south on SH29.

The work on the northern side of SH29 is expected to take 1 year.  

Tauriko Village temporary intersection map [PDF, 188 KB]

Redwood Lane 

Night works (between 6pm and 6am) will be carried out ahead of switching traffic onto the roundabout, starting with safety barrier relocation on Tuesday 22 April, followed by resurfacing works from Sunday 27 April for 5 nights. Overnight on Wednesday 30 April, the team will be line marking and preparing the new road, with the new roundabout expected to be in use on the morning of Thursday 1 May. These works will involve stop/go, shoulder closures, rolling blocks, and a temporary 30km/h speed limit on SH29. 

People are asked to drive with extra care through the area, while people adjust to the new traffic conditions, allow extra time for their journeys and follow any signage or instructions provided by road workers. 

These night works are weather dependent. If work is delayed because of weather or other unforeseen issues, it will be carried out on the next suitable night. 

Elsewhere on the project, construction of the major retaining wall on Cambridge Road is well underway in preparation for the new signalised intersection with SH29. This includes a new connection to Whiore Avenue for people walking and cycling and bus access, only. 

Work is also underway on the wastewater upgrades in Whiore Avenue and watermains upgrade on SH29, near Gargan Road, starting with investigative works to establish the location of existing underground services.  

The SH29 Tauriko Enabling Works are being delivered by NZTA together with Tauranga City Council. Downer is delivering the construction for the project.  

Redwood Lane temporary intersection map [PDF, 176 KB]