State Highway 6 Whakatu Drive will be closed for three nights next month, while contractors repair the highway before winter.

Work will be underway, weather permitting, on the nights of Sunday 25, Monday 26, and Tuesday 27 May.

Contractors will repair the road’s surface to prevent water entering the pavement over winter. This will help reduce the chance of potholes and other damage to the road’s surface from occurring.

To make the most of the closure, traffic counter cables will be reinstalled near the Songer Street Overbridge. These counters are an essential tool for recording traffic volumes, and the information provided is used to support infrastructure planning and road maintenance operations.

State Highway 6 Whakatu Drive will be closed between Quarantine Road roundabout and Link Road roundabout, from 7 pm to 6 am. 

A local road detour will be available for all traffic via Main Road Stoke. Drivers should allow an extra 10 minutes travel time when using this detour.

Outside the closures, traffic management will be removed and the highway will reopen to two lanes.

The shared path next to the highway will remain open for cyclists and pedestrians in both directions. 

Access for people travelling to and from Nelson Airport will remain in place via Quarantine roundabout and Quarantine Road.  

Works schedule and detour route

• 25, 26 and 27 May, 7pm to 6am.
• State Highway 6, Whakatu Drive, will be closed in both directions, between Quarantine Road roundabout and Link Road roundabout.
• The recommended detour route for all traffic is Main Road Stoke.
• This detour is expected to add up to 10 minutes to travel times.

More information

• The work is part of the $147 million 2024/27 National Land Transport Programme investment in state highways for the top of the South Island.
  • National Land Transport Programme 2024/27. Top of the South Regional Investment Summary(external link)
• State highway maintenance – FAQs(external link)
• Tips for driving through worksites (video)(external link)