Arapuni Dam Closure

Arapuni Road across the dam will be closed to vehicles from July 2026, for 24-36 months.
They will use a one-lane detour route, managed by traffic lights, along Powerhouse Road for local essential traffic only. Freight/heavy commercial vehicles and long-distance travel should use state highway routes.

East Waikato 

Work underway 
 

• SH25 Tairua: Early works have started on the Pepe Stream Bridge replacement project and traffic management is in place for the duration of the project until late 2027. Access across the stream will be maintained for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists but occasional delays can be expected. 

• SH25 Pumpkin Hill: Storm recovery is wrapping up on the multiple work sites at Pumpkin Hill, north of Tairua. All 8 sites will be completed by today (Friday 19 June) and traffic will return to 2 lanes. 

• SH25 Kūaotunu Hill: Work is progressing to repair the underslip on SH25 at Kūaotunu Hill. The project is expected to take until mid-July to complete, mainly under stop/go traffic management, using traffic lights. The site is about 250 metres long and there are traffic management staff on site 24 hours a day.    

• SH25 Karangahake Gorge: All flood recovery work wraps up today (Friday 19 June) Work at the 9 initial recovery sites and 5 stabilisation sites in the gorge are now complete, and we thank road users for their patience which saw all this work done with lane closures and stop/go. The retaining wall protection work, requiring a day-time closure, has been delayed until suitable weather and river flows. This may not be completed until summer. 

West Waikato 

Work starting soon 

• SH1 Karāpiro: Barrier repairs will take place on Sunday 21 June between 8pm and 5am, there will be intermittent stop/stop traffic management while the repairs take place, delays of up to 30 minutes can be expected. 

Work underway 

• SH1 Cambridge Expressway: Stage 4 work is underway with the northbound on-and off-ramps closed at the Victoria Road Interchange Hautapu. Crews are working across both northbound lanes for the full 5km section from south of the interchange to just north of the Northern Interchange (Cambridge West exit). Northbound SH1 traffic heading into Cambridge must exit at the Southern Interchange and follow Tīrau Road past the Cambridge Golf Club. Northbound traffic leaving Cambridge can detour via SH1B and Hamilton Road/Cambridge Road to rejoin SH1 or use the SH1B/SH26 route and connect back to SH1 at Hamilton.  
  Motorists should plan ahead, expect delays, and consider all available alternative routes. Congestion is likely at key intersections as people adjust to the ramp closures. Following Stage 4, the contractor will move to Stage 5, which will require the closure of the Cambridge Northern Interchange (Cambridge West exit) off-ramp. This work is currently scheduled for July/August. 
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North Waikato  
   

Work starting in the next 2 weeks 

• SH1 Pioneer Road to Island Block Road: There will be a full southbound closure from Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 June between 9pm and 5am.Traffic will be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes. Mercer southbound off and on ramps will be closed as part of this closure.  

• Traffic travelling south to Hampton Downs, please turn around to get back to Mercer.  

• Traffic travelling north to Pōkeno interchange, please turn around to travel to South on SH1.   

• Traffic travelling north on SH1, please use the recommended detour at Mercer. There will be no access to SH1 northbound from Pioneer Road.   

• SH1 Razorback Road to Nikau Road: There will be northbound lane restrictions on SH1 from Sunday 21 to Wednesday 24 June between 9pm and 5am. SH2 westbound to SH1 northbound link will be closed. A detour will be available via SH1 southbound link to turn around and re-enter the motorway using Pōkeno northbound on-ramp.  
     

• SH1/SH2 Link to Pōkeno interchange: There will be a full southbound closure from Sunday 21 to Wednesday 24 June between 9pm and 5am. Traffic will still be able to travel south using one of the northbound lanes. Please slow down and follow traffic management instructions.   
   

• SH2 Mangatawhiri: Stop/go traffic management will be in place for the following closure, between 9pm and 5am on Thursday 25 June. Between Dobson Road and Mangatawhiri Road.