Waka Kotahi is advising road users who frequent the northern highway network, especially those who drive at night, to anticipate an increase in works taking place for the remainder of March.

Those travelling North of Silverdale, can expect to see an increased number of stop/go traffic management sites and some full highway closures.

Detours will be in place where necessary to ensure those travelling in the North can continue on their journeys.

To keep crews safe while doing their mahi and to prevent damage to vehicles and new road seals, it is essential everyone adheres to the temporary speed restrictions in place, even when there is no one visibly working in the area.

The busy March schedule is a combination of Waka Kotahi’s significant summer maintenance programme and projects deferred due to weather and COVID-19.

Waka Kotahi would like to thank those who use the northern highway network in advance for their patience while these crucial maintenance works are carried out.

13-20 March: State Highway 1 between Warkworth and Puhoi

Asphalting works on State Highway 1 south of Warkworth, will start tonight Sunday 13 March and go through to 20 March.

The works will take place overnight, using mostly stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit of 30kmh. No work will take place on Friday or Saturday nights.

On Sunday 20 March, a full overnight road closure will be in place for road sealing at the Pohuehue viaduct.

The closure will be in place from 7pm and go through to 5am, with a detour between Silverdale and Warkworth via State Highway 16, for those needing to travel during this time.

The detour could add up to 60 minutes travel time for some road users, so we advise planning travel over this time carefully and apologise in advance for any inconvenience.

14-16 March: Mangamuka Gorge

Final asphalting will begin Monday at the largest slip site on State Highway 1 through Mangamuka Gorge.

These works, scheduled to take place 14-16 March, will complete the road repairs needed after the one in a five-hundred-year weather event in July 2020 that caused significant damage to the highway.

A full road closure will be in place from 8.30am-4pm to allow the crew and large machinery to safely occupy the area.

Between 7am-8:30am and 4pm-6pm daily, manual traffic control will be in place to allow road access during peak traffic times.

A detour will be in place via State Highway 10, while State Highway 1 through the gorge is closed. This detour could add up to 30 minutes to some journeys, so we recommend those travelling during this time plan ahead.

Outside of the full road closure times, temporary speed limits and stop/go traffic management will be in place at the site.

Late March: Re-sealing, pavement reconstruction and widening

Other works road users should be aware of in March include:

- SH1 Brynderwyn Hill – upcoming asphalting will require a stop/go operation on the entire south side of the hill. Delays are expected and suggested detours are northbound via SH12 and Paparoa Oakleigh Road and southbound via Waipu, Mangawhai and Kaiwaka.

- SH1 between Whangarei and Kawakawa - resealing works taking place in multiple locations

- SH10 at Kareponia - shoulder-widening works continue

- SH14 at Tangiteroria - pavement reconstruction is underway

- SH10 north of Waipapa - pavement reconstruction is underway

- SH12 at Dargaville - sealing and re-painting of some intersections in late-March

- SH16 near Wellsford - road repairs are currently underway and will continue into next week, followed by resealing works for three days in late-March

To see more information on further planned works which may impact your journey, check journeys.nzta.govt.nz

Waka Kotahi thanks road users in advance for their patience and understanding while these important road safety improvement works take place.

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