Crews working on the State Highway 2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway Roads of National Significance project are turning their attention to piling.

Drivers in the area will see crews back on site from Monday 5 January, following the holiday, preparing for construction of the second Meeanee Road overpass.

Work on the piling is scheduled to begin on 26 January and is expected to be completed in May.

Crews will be working onsite Monday to Friday between 6.30am and 6pm, with the most impactful work taking place between 7.30am and 6pm, with occasional work on Saturdays.

Temporary traffic management will be in place from early January. While the piling work doesn’t require any planned road closures, drivers should expect lane changes, temporary speed limits and possible delays near the existing Meeanee Road overpass roundabout.

At the same time, crews will be working on other parts of the project including on the second Tutaekuri River bridge, the second overpass at Kennedy Road from late April and the addition of two lanes between Taradale Road and Tutaekuri River Bridge. 

“It’s great to see construction of this project pick up steam and people will start to see exciting changes alongside the expressway as they’re driving the state highway,” says Jacob Laird, Principal Project Manager.

Initial construction on this project will focus on the section of road between Taradale Road and Tutaekuri River bridge, with this 4-laning expected to be completed in 2028. We are currently in detailed design for the Links Road/Pākōwhai Road interchange.

For more on the project, visit here.(external link)

For a fly through visualisation of the project, visit here(external link).