The Ara-Tūhono - Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway will open before the end of this month, providing a safer, more resilient, and reliable route.

Once open, there will continue to be ongoing work for a number of months to fully complete the project. This includes work on the Pūhoi on and off-ramps, slip repairs, seasonal planting/landscaping, and final clean-up of works areas; including removal of machinery and equipment, and tidying up the land no longer required for the motorway operation and returning it to its original condition.

The remaining work will largely take place away from the main motorway and have minimal or no impact on the road users. The most significant work that needs to take place is to the Pūhoi on and off-ramp. These works can’t be completed until the motorway opens and are necessary to complete the construction of the ramps, which were opened in 2021 for temporary use so that the team could construct the new motorway and connect it to the existing Johnstones Hill Tunnels.

Pūhoi southbound on-ramp The Pūhoi southbound on-ramp will close immediately after the new road opens, 24/7, for approximately four weeks.

Pūhoi residents, residents south of Moir Hill Road, and southbound traffic from ‘Old SH1’ will not be able to access the southbound on-ramp during the construction period and motorists travelling south from Pūhoi will be detoured via the free route on Hibiscus Coast Highway while we complete this work.

Pūhoi northbound off- ramp The Pūhoi northbound off-ramp will close at night immediately after the new road opens, from 9pm to 5am daily, for approximately two weeks.

Pūhoi residents and travelling public will not be able to exit at the northbound off-ramp during this time and will need to take the free route via Hibiscus Coast Highway, exiting SH1 from Grand Drive, Orewa.

Some of the work on both ramps is highly weather dependent and cannot be done in the rain or if the ground temperature is too cold, which affects the laying of asphalt. As we are now approaching the winter months it is likely there will be nights where we are unable to progress this work. The team have allowed for some contingency, however if there is significant rain or cold weather during these dates, the work will be pushed out to the next fine night. To keep up to date with the closures, please check the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner before heading out https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/

“We fully appreciate this will be inconvenient especially for those living in these areas. We would like to thank the community for their patience, while we complete the last major step required to provide access to the new motorway and a smoother ride for journeys to and from Pūhoi.” Says Vicente Valencia – NX2 CEO

Once the on and off-ramps works are complete and open to the public, there will still be some work to be completed on the ‘Old SH1’ and Pūhoi Road. This work will be done under stop/go, for around two weeks. Four weeks after this has been completed the team will be back to carry out the final thermoplastic lining.

You will continue to see the Fletcher Acciona construction team out and on about working to complete these final projects safely and efficiently, while minimising impacts to road users. If you have any queries about the construction works, the stakeholder and communications team will still be available on 0508 P2WK INFO or info@nx2group.com.

If you have any questions about the operations and maintenance of the new road, please contact 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49).

Read more about Ara Tūhono -Pūhoi to Warkworth on our web site nx2group.com.

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