Waikato 

SH3 Rukuhia rebuild is flying ahead 

From Monday 24 February, both lanes of a short section of State Highway 3 (SH3) between Rukuhia Road and Narrows Road near Hamilton airport will be rebuilt and closed to southbound traffic for approximately 4 weeks.  

The rebuild work involves digging out the existing road layers and replacing them layer by layer. The road is then surfaced, swept and line marked. 

The work will be completed 1 lane at a time. The lane not being worked on will be open to northbound traffic at all times. A 24/7 southbound detour will be in place for light vehicles via Raynes Road and State Highway 21 Airport Road, to re-join SH3, adding approximately 7 minutes to journeys between Hamilton and Te Awamutu.  

The intersection of SH21 Airport Road and Raynes Road will be under stop/go between 7.30am and 6.00pm each weekday. 

Any residents travelling southbound will be required to use the detour route to travel north to access their properties. We will make sure that Rukuhia Road will remain open at all times, but it will be left turn in and left turn out only. Once 1 lane is completed, work will switch to the other lane meaning that northbound traffic will stay on SH3 at all times. 

HPMV’s, overweight and over dimension vehicles will be stacked and allowed through the worksite with the buses, however up to 30 minute delays should be expected.  

If you are heading to the airport to catch a flight, you may want to leave a few minutes earlier as there will be additional travel time related to this worksite as well as the works at Ōhaupō Village, which are still underway. 

These works form part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund.  

Atiamuri-Wairakei-Putaruru-Tokoroa

• Atiamuri-Wairakei:
  • 24/7 closure from SH30 Ongaroto Road to Wairakei roundabout, from 5am 3 March for approx 4-5 weeks (weather permitting)
    • Light vehicle detour Poihipi Road to SH32,
    • HV detour via SH5/30
  • Multiple construction zones will be underway in this area with day/night works happening in this area.
  • There will be significant delays through this section, please be aware of this prior to entry if needing to visit a destination within and plan accordingly. Once entered there will be multiple times traffic will need to queue.
  • Any vehicles/trucks needing to gain access will engage in a conversation with the TC at the closure points.
  • All other vehicles trying to enter the area will be turned around.
  • No work will be affecting the crossover points of SH1/Tram Road (there will be access available here).

• Putaruru-Tokoroa:
  • 24/7 closure Domain Road to Pinedale Road from 5am 3 March for approx. 4 weeks (weather permitting)
    • Light vehicle detour Lichfield Road,
    • HV detour via SH5/30
  • Any vehicles/trucks needing to gain access into Domain Road and Pinedale Road will need to engage in a conversation with the TC at the closure points.
    Access will only be permitted if needing to get into these areas. There will be no throughfare.
    Any vehicles including trucks which reach the closure point trying to shortcut through will be turned around.
    Once entering the closure, vehicles will need to queue as the site will be under a traffic management.
  • We will be allowing trucks to enter to use the weighbridge at Domain or access any other business on that road.
  • Any forestry happening in Pinedale Road will be able to continue travelling their vehicles through the closure (this is due to Pinedale Road being within our soft closure points)