Highway reopening delayed by another week
The Wairakei to Ātiamuri section of SH1 will remain closed until at least Wednesday. Photo / Dan Hutchinson
The section of State Highway 1 between Ātiamuri and Wairakei will remain closed until April 9.
The road was meant to reopen at the end of this week however NZTA has confirmed rain has delayed those plans.
“We had anticipated opening this section at the end of this week, however unfortunately the amount of rain forecast means we cannot confidently open it with the fresh seal,” a spokesperson said.
The revised plan was to reopen the section of road on Wednesday, April 9, although that will also be weather dependent.
Contractors would return to sweep and line mark the section of road following the 2025 ITM Taupō Super 440 event, on April 11-13. There is 9km of line marking to complete between Ātiamuri to Wairakei.
While the section of highway is still closed the detour for light vehicles (all vehicles you can drive on a regular car/Class 1 licence) is via SH30, SH32 and Poihipi Road to Wairakei Drive and vice versa.
The detour for light vehicle adds about 23 minutes and 32km to journeys.
All heavy vehicles traveling locally use SH5 via Rotorua which will add 43 minutes to the journey.
Downer has repaired and rebuilt nine 9 lane kilometres of road and sealed 3.7 lane kilometres on NZTA’s behalf.
Higgins has also been working in the same closure and has completed 6.9km of side and median safety barrier, new seal and remedial work on 4.5km of safety barrier.
The route north will be quicker this weekend with SH1 between Putāruru and Lichfield expected to reopen on April 5.
This section will be reopened under temporary traffic management, to allow traffication (where traffic helps to bed down new seal) road sweeping and line marking. The temporary speed limit will be removed once sweeping and line is completed.
In just over a month, NZTA contractor Downer has rebuilt and repaired 2.16 lane kilometres and sealed 5.8 lane kilometres of road between the Putāruru Transfer Station and the intersection with SH1 and Pinedale Road.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations for Waikato and Bay of Plenty, Roger Brady, thanks the community and road users for their support.
“This site has been disruptive for residents, businesses, communities and road users. We’d like to thank everyone for being patient and respectful of our road crews.
“The weather front moving across the North Island and the amount of rain forecast means the Ātiamuri section can’t be reopened and completed this weekend as originally scheduled, and we are aiming for Wednesday 9 April reopening.
“We are very close to being finished for the season, once this current inclement weather passes.”