SH1 Desert Road resurfacing works update

2 MinutesBy NZ Trucking magazineNovember 25, 2020

The NZ Transport Agency advises road resurfacing work to improve the quality and longevity of State Highway 1 on the Desert Road has been postponed due to an unfavourable weather forecast for the week ahead.

Work will resume on Tuesday 1 December from 7pm, with five nights of closures between the intersection of SH1 and SH46 at Rangipo, and the intersection of SH1 and SH49 at Waiouru.

The road will be closed each night from 7pm until 5am, with the works complete and road reopening fully from 5am on Sunday 6 December.

Outside work hours the road will operate as normal. Emergency services will have full access through the site during the works.

Detour information:

  • From Turangi, the southbound detour will be via SH41 or SH46, on to SH47, SH4 at National Park and then SH49 to Waiouru. The northbound detour will be in reverse.

  • For a journey between Turangi and Waiouru the detour will add an extra 30 to 35 minutes over and above the normal 45-minute journey time via SH1 Turangi to Waiouru. The total travel time is approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.

  • Where the road closure will be in place from 7pm, NZTA encourages motorists to complete their travel well before then as the contractors will be setting up traffic management from 6pm and this may cause delays.

  • From 7pm on Sunday 6 December resurfacing will take place just south of the SH1/49 intersection at Waiouru and on the Desert Road between Waiouru and Rangipo. 

These works are expected to take place over four nights between 7pm and 5am, with stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit of 30kph in place to ensure the safety of both crews and road users.

On Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 December the road between Taupo and Turangi will be closed between 7pm and 5am. On Friday 11 December the road will be open under stop/go traffic management with a 30kph temporary speed limit in place. This will allow contractors to finish resurfacing at Te Poporo/Bulli Point and at Te Toki Point.

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