SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance project updateSH1 Desert Road is open!

14 March 2025

	In this week’s issue:• SH1 Desert Road is open! • Taupō to Tūrangi update • We don’t want to see your crack • Putāruru to Lichfield: Digging deep to create a smooth ride • Ātiamuri to Wairakei: Busy times • Introducing some of the T2W crew • Fabric sealing: A good underlay • Great barriers: Clever engineering to keep you safe • Road worker of the weekCurrent closures2 closures between Tīrau and Taupō:SH1 Putāruru to Lichfield closed for approximately 3 weeks (weather dependent). Detour adds approximately 16 minutes and 18.5km to journeys.SH1 Ātiamuri to Wairakei closed for approximately 4 weeks (weather dependent). Detour adds approximately 23 minutes and 32km to journeys.

	Video of SH1 Desert Road works ahead of opening.SH1 Desert Road is open! The day you’ve all been waiting for is here. SH1 Desert Road is open! On time and we even did a little more work than we promised. In just over 8 weeks we have rebuilt and repaired 28 lane kilometres of road, 12 lane kms more than we originally planned, and completely rebuilt the deck of the Mangatoetoenui Bridge, located 23km south of Rangipō.Doing the work under closure has meant we were able to bring this section of SH1 up to a higher standard, quickly. It’s been a massive job. Thank you to everyone who has worked with us and used the official detours while we’ve had the road closed. We have also had people say how they have enjoyed the beautiful countryside the detour has taken them through. The Ruapehu District has also enjoyed a much-needed business boom, especially Ohakune.Parts of SH1 are still under traffic management with temporary speed limits for the next few days to let the chipseal bed in properly. Please keep to the speed limits. Speeding could cause damage to your vehicle and the new surface. There will also be an increased presence from NZ Police in the area to help enforce the speed limits.We will be returning at a later stage to complete the final surface. This work, where possible, will be done at night and under stop/go traffic management.The scheduling is still being worked through for when this final surfacing will be done.

	Rebuilding of the Mangatoetoenui Bridge, SH1 Desert Road.

	Total work across all sections of T2W since Sept 2024:Lane kms completed: 86.78 lane kms (480,926m2)Foam bitumen stabilising completed: 51 lane kms (270,102m2) Re-seals completed: 31 lane kms (162,514m2) – includes chipseal and asphalt concrete surfacingStructural asphalt concrete: 4.78 lane kms (26,837m2)Tonnes of metal used: Approximately 162,609 Truckloads of metal: Up to 145 loads per site per dayNumber of workforce hours to date (road crews): Approximately 85,000Number of lost-time injuries: ZeroNumber of contracting firms working across sites: Up to 32 working at once.

	Taupō to Tūrangi updateWe have made the decision that a full closure would not be the best option for this part of SH1 due to the issues it would cause for the community, freight and businesses.We have received considerable feedback about the proposal to close SH1 between Taupō and Tūrangi in October and November. We do have considerable maintenance to do on this stretch of SH1, including some bridge strengthening work, so there will still be disruptions. We will spend some time investigating the best options for getting this work done. These options could include stop/go, having 1 lane open and nightworks.Once we have worked through the detailed planning with our contractors, we will be back in touch with you about what is proposed. Sign up for our regular updates. You can also email us at: SH1Waikato@nzta.govt.nz.

	We don’t want to see your crack We don’t want to see any cracks in windscreens so where the new chip is down, slow down. SH1 Desert Road still has significant areas where the chipseal needs to bed in with traffic driving over it so, to avoid those cracks, slow down and stick to the temporary speed limits and traffic management. You should also keep your distance from the car in front, ideally 3 car lengths or more. There has been some debate about what is more likely to cause a cracked windscreen. The speed you’re traveling at, or the speed the vehicle that spits up the stone is traveling at? It’s not a trick question. Both of them have an impact, but you can be certain if you’re going slower, there’s less chance of seeing that crack or chip.

	Putāruru to Lichfield: Digging deep to create a smooth ride What a difference a week makes. Check out these progress photos from Putāruru to Lichfield showing the dig out that was started last week and now the subgrade and subbase being worked on. There are four layers that make up a road. The subgrade, subbase, basecourse and surface. In many places the work we’re doing on SH1 Tīrau to Waiouru goes far deeper than just resurfacing the road, we’re rebuilding it back stronger.In the areas below, we dug out the road to the subgrade level because it was soft and needed working to make it stronger and ultimately create a smoother road surface that lasts longer and isn’t prone to potholes. After digging it out, we use geotextile fabric to reinforce it before adding the aggregate and then the basecourse material. Then we’ll apply the first coat of seal before opening it for use.We still need to return, next construction season, after the first coat seal is bedded, to complete the final surface and give drivers that smooth ride. The second coat also provides a thick, durable layer of chipseal, waterproofing the surface underneath. This process prevents ‘flushing’, which is where the bitumen rises to the surface of the road, making it shiny and slippery. Please follow the detours in place and stick to the speed limits.

Rebuilding the road on Putāruru to Lichfield last week.   Rebuilding the road on Putāruru to Lichfield last week.

Subgrade and subbase work just past the VTNZ station, Putāruru, this week.   The subgrade and subbase being worked on this week near the Putāruru VTNZ station.

	Ātiamuri to Wairakei: Busy times Work is ramping up between Ātiamuri to Wairakei with 5 separate work sites underway. This week we focused on dig outs, drainage works, kerb and channel and guardrail repair and replacement. These photos show why the road is closed. You’d be waiting in traffic at stop/go for a very long time trying to navigate this lot. The photos below show new subsoil drains being laid, dig out areas and aggregate ready to be applied. Please follow the detour routes and keep to the speed limits.

Dig out work on Ātiamuri to Wairakei.   Drainage works on Ātiamuri to Wairakei.

Drainage works on Ātiamuri to Wairakei.   One of the 5 current work sites on Ātiamuri to Wairakei.