A stretch of State Highway 2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway will be closed overnight later this month ahead of a new road layout for motorists.

The expressway, between Kennedy and Taradale Roads, will be closed for two nights on Sunday 19 July and Monday 20 July, between 7pm and 6am both nights.

A signposted detour will be in place for all road users.

Light vehicles will be detoured onto Meeanee Road, Lee Road, Gloucester Street, Kennedy Road and onto Taradale Road before rejoining the expressway. The reverse will apply for southbound vehicles.

Heavy vehicles will be detoured right at Meeanee Road, onto Awatoto Road and onto State Highway 51.

The work will be complete by 6am Tuesday 21 July.

During these overnight closures, crews will be moving barriers and updating line markings across the full width of the road. This allows northbound traffic to be shifted onto a newly constructed section of pavement.

A full closure is required so crews can safely access all areas of the highway in one go. This approach allows the work to be completed more quickly and avoids ongoing disruption from extended lane closures or stop/go traffic management.

New road layout on SH2

Once the works are complete, a new road layout will be in place between Taradale Road and Kennedy Road. Northbound traffic will be shifted west onto the new pavement, while the southbound lane will remain unchanged.

A temporary speed limit will remain in place through the work site. Road users are asked to take care and drive to the conditions.

Planned bridge works

In addition, overnight works are being planned during the week of 20 July in support of ongoing bridge construction activities at the Tutaekuri River Bridge. These works may require stop/go traffic management and short delays for road users. Further details will be communicated once timing and traffic management requirements are confirmed.