Wellington drivers need to be ready for a series of overnight closures on State Highway 1 starting next week.

The motorway’s southbound lanes will be closed from Ngauranga Interchange to Vivian Street between 9pm and 4:30am from Sunday, 4 October to Thursday, 15 October.

Work crews will be carrying out carry out major maintenance on the urban motorway. It includes resurfacing of more than two kilometres of the motorway’s southbound lanes, bridge-joint and pavement repairs, sign and streetlight replacements, drainage work, line marking, and safety inspections.

Planned State Highway 1 tunnel closures will take place at the same time to reduce disruption for road users.

Closures will be on Sunday to Thursday nights only, weather permitting, with traffic management set up from 7 pm so road users should expect delays from then when travelling towards the city.

The work is essential for keeping one of the capital’s busiest transport routes safe and reliable. Over 25,000 vehicles use this part of State Highway 1 daily.

All southbound onramps and offramps within the closure area will also be closed. Drivers travelling within the city will need to use alternative routes and should allow extra time for their journeys.

Northbound traffic will operate as usual, except when separate tunnel closures are planned (see details below).

Seven work shifts are planned. The two-week window includes contingency for bad weather, and the programme may finish earlier if conditions allow.

Other work is also planned across the network, which people travelling in and out of the city, and to and from Miramar, need to plan for.

There will be overnight closures of the Terrace Tunnel on Sunday, 11 October and Monday, 12 October, the Mt Victoria Tunnel on Tuesday, 13 October, and the Arras Tunnel on Wednesday, 14 October.

Drivers will have to be ready for delays and detours. While the works are scheduled to be done at night when traffic volumes are at their lowest, some impact and disruption for road users is unavoidable.

People travelling to Wellington Airport on the night of the Mount Victoria Tunnel closure should use Hutt Road and the waterfront quays, then continue around the bays to avoid another detour via Newtown.

Work schedule

• SH1 Urban Motorway works:
  • Sunday, 4 October to Thursday, 15 October; Sunday to Thursday nights, 9pm–4:30am
    • SH1 CLOSED to southbound traffic between Ngauranga Interchange and Taranaki Street
    • Detour via Hutt Road, Aotea Quay, Waterloo Quay (see map below)
• SH1 Tunnel Closures:
  • Terrace Tunnel
    • Sunday, 11 October and Monday, 12 October, 9pm–4:30am
  • Mount Victoria Tunnel
    • Tuesday, 13 October, 9pm–4:30am
  • Arras Tunnel
    • Wednesday, 14 October, 9pm–4:30am

Urban Motorway southbound detour

Tunnel closure detours