West Waikato

Work starting next week

SH3 Awakino Gorge closure: Upcoming overnight closures will take place from Tuesday 27 October to Thursday 5 November, between 7pm and 4am. During the work, this stretch of SH3 will be closed each night between the rest area near the Awakino Historic Tunnel and the intersection of SH3 with Manganui Road. The road will reopen at 4am Thursday 5 November after the final closure. During the day, the road will be open, under the standard stop/go traffic management and reduced speed limits. While the road is closed, road workers will also carry out drainage maintenance. Coordinating this work with the closures will reduce the need for separate traffic restrictions and help keep drainage systems working effectively. More information

Work underway

SH39 Symes Bridge: Symes Bridge over the Moakurarua Stream is closed to all traffic until early December. The bridge is about 16km north of Ōtorohanga. Roadworkers are replacing the bridge deck and beams. The official detour for state highway traffic is via SH3 and Te Awamutu.

SH23 Raglan: Road shoulder and drainage work has started on SH23 near Greenslade Road, taking about 5 weeks to complete. Crews will work from 8:30am to 5pm weekdays and some Saturdays. Stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h reduced speed limit will be in place. A full road rebuild is expected to start in mid-November and finish on Friday 4 December. More information

SH31 Kāwhia: Enabling works are underway near Te Rauamoa Road taking about 5 weeks with complete, finishing mid-November. Crews will work from 8:30am to 5pm each day. Stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit will be in place. A full road rebuild is expected to start from mid-November and finish mid-December.

SH31 near the Kāwhia lookout: Work on an underslip near the Kāwhia lookout on SH31 is underway and completion is expected late October. Crews will be working between 6am and 6pm Monday to Friday (Saturdays and Sundays may also be included as required). The road will be down to a single lane with stop/go traffic management and a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place.

SH39 Mangati Bridge: The permanent replacement to the Mangati Bridge on SH39 between Ōtorohanga and Pirongia is under construction. The old bridge was damaged beyond repair by flash flooding in February, with traffic currently using a single-lane temporary Acrow bridge. Traffic will continue to use the Acrow bridge until the new bridge is open to traffic in early 2027. Please drive carefully past the construction site, reduced speed limits are in place.

Work starting soon

SH26 Morrinsville Road: Overnight asphalt resurfacing between 6pm and 6am starts at 2 locations from Sunday 1 to Wednesday 4 November with stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit of 30km/h. The intersection with SH1B Marshmeadow Road from Sunday 1 November to Tuesday 3 November and the intersection with SH1B Hoeka Road Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 November all weather dependent.

Hamilton and Central Waikato

Work starting next week

SH1 Waikato Expressway – Cambridge Section: Stage 8, the final stage of this significant project, will start Tuesday 27 October. Stage 8 requires the full 24/7 closure of the northbound off‑ramp at the Cambridge Southern Interchange until mid-November. All northbound SH1 traffic coming from Karāpiro or further south, wanting to access Cambridge, will need to use the off-ramp at the Victoria Road Interchange (Hautapu). The works will be completed at night using stop/go traffic management between 9pm and 5am and temporary speed limits of 50km/h and 70km/hwill remain in place during the day. Motorists are advised to plan ahead, allow extra time for their journeys, and consider alternative routes to help ease congestion. More information

South Waikato and Taupō

Work starting next week

SH5 east of Taupō: Crews will return on Tuesday 27 October, after Labour weekend, to recommence the road rebuild between 6am and 6pm Monday to Friday, and the occasional Saturday. Work is scheduled to finish early to mid-December. During work hours, 2-way stop/go traffic management is in place. People travelling through the area should plan ahead and allow for delays of up to 10 minutes. A temporary 30km/h speed limit will be in place during and outside of work hours to keep everyone safe.

Work underway

Arapuni Dam: Arapuni Road across Arapuni Dam is closed until 2028 while Mercury carries out major repair work on Arapuni Hydro Dam. A temporary detour route via Powerhouse Road is in place during the closure for light vehicles only including cars, motorcycles, school buses, emergency services and rigged trucks up to 8 metres. General through traffic, heavy freight/commercial vehicles and long-distance travel should detour via SH1/SH21 and SH3.

SH5 South Waikato: Work continues to widen SH5 near Waimakariri Road and install wide centrelines. The work covers 1.2km of SH5, extending the existing wide centrelines from Whites Road to the new SH28-Harwoods Road roundabout. Minor delays are expected. More information

SH28 north of Okoroire Road: Road rebuilding is underway from 6am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Work is expected to finish at 6pm on Thursday 29 October, weather permitting. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary 30km/h speed limit are in place. Allow up to 10 minutes of extra travel time.

North Waikato

Work starting next week

SH1 Pioneer Road to Pōkeno interchange: There will be a full northbound closure on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 October between 9pm and 5am. Traffic will still be able to travel north using one of the southbound lanes.

SH2: Stop/go traffic management will be in place between 9pm and 5am for the following closures.
Between Kopuku Road and Maxwell Road on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 October
Between Okaeria Road and Heaven Road from Tuesday 27 and Thursday 29 October.