Kaimai Range works resume
Full road closures part of the plan by Waka Kotahi
Resurfacing work on State Highway 29 over the Kaimai Range starts again on February 13 following similar work on a number of sections of SH9 and SH24 on the western side of the Kaimai Range late last year and earlier this year.
Beginning at 8pm on Sunday work will take place over five consecutive nights. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency contractors will then return the following week, with the number of work nights required dependent on weather and progress throughout the first week.
Recent works on SH29 have seen the successful implementation of full road and one-way closures, with specific windows for travel in each direction between Waikato and the Bay of Plenty. These will be in place again to allow contractors space to work safely and efficiently.
Waikato system manager Cara Lauder says this completes a significant summer of work on the Kaimai Range, and the implementation of a new way to manage traffic ensures all road users, particularly trucks, can more effectively plan their journey across the Kaimai Range.
“Completing the resurfacing with one or no lanes operating allows contractors to work safely and with increased productivity. This reduces the overall time on site, leading to fewer days with the road under traffic management throughout the summer. Working this way has allowed us to resurface three significant sections of the road, ensuring the safety and resilience of this key route between the Waikato and Tauranga.”
On both Sunday and Monday, the road will be closed to traffic from both directions between 8pm and 5am.
Following this, there will be two threeand-a-half hour windows each night to allow for traffic to pass through in one direction only. The timetable for these nights is as follows:
8pm to 9pm — SH29 will be fully closed to all traffic while the site is being set up.
9pm to 12.30am — SH29 will be open to traffic travelling from the east (Bay of Plenty) to the west (Waikato).
12.30am to 1am — A full road closure will be in place to allow for the change of traffic direction.
1am to 4.30am — SH29 will be open to traffic travelling from the west (Waikato) to the east (Bay of Plenty).
4.30am to 5.30am — Final closure to allow the site to be made safe for the resumption of two-way traffic during the day.
A full timetable of the works can be viewed on the Waikato roadworks page: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/waikato/ roadworks
During these times vehicles will be held at the intersections with SH24 and SH28 at Te Poi on the Waikato
side, and the intersection of SH29 and Cambridge Rd on the Bay of Plenty side.
Resident access will be maintained at all times during the works, however, residents will need to liaise with the traffic control teams on site.
Waka Kotahi has opted for one long window for traffic in each direction rather than more frequent, but shorter, windows, to avoid lengthy queues of vehicles waiting for their turn to cross the Kaimai Range.
By having a longer window, drivers, especially those in trucks, can plan their journey with greater certainty.
During the day the road will reopen to two lanes and there will be reduced speeds through areas that have been recently resealed.
The detours for this closure are significant.
Road users are encouraged to visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz) for up-to-date information on all routes to and from Tauranga.