NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is reminding Top of the South drivers to be ready for three weeks of nightworks on State Highway 6 Whangamoa Saddle.

Starting next Sunday night (9 November), and continuing until Friday, 28 November, work crews will be clearing drains, replacing a culvert, doing resilience improvements, and other general maintenance work.

It is critical maintenance, and the aim is to complete it before the busy Christmas and New Year period. It is also deliberately timed to be done at night when traffic volumes are much lower.

Closure details

It will mean the highway will be closed between Hira and the Rai Valley Sunday to Thursday nights between 8 pm and 5:30 am. No work will be done on Friday and Saturdays. 

State Highway 6 over Whangamoa Hill is narrow, and because heavy equipment will be used for resurfacing, it is not possible to have the road open while this work is being completed.

However, steps will be in place to help drivers who need to use the route at night. The road will be opened once per night at 12:30 am to let traffic through. The freight industry and other drivers must plan carefully to ensure they meet this schedule. 

Why a closure is more effective

NZTA/Waka Kotahi appreciates full road closures are disruptive. However, for this work, they are the best option. It will allow the work to be finished much faster and with much less disruption for traffic, than if it were to be done during the day under stop/go traffic management.

Full closures are also safer for road crews and significantly reduce traffic management costs.

Driver advice

The night closures mean drivers will face a lengthy detour via State Highway 63 and the Wairau Valley. 

It is critical drivers are aware of this and plan accordingly. Travelling between Nelson and Renwick is normally a 90-minute trip. With the detour via the Wairau Valley, it is over two hours.
 
Drivers also need to be aware of other state highway maintenance work planned for State Highways around the region in November, including the night closures on State Highway 1, Weld Pass south of Marlborough. 

They should check road conditions before they travel, be aware of where the road works are, and plan their journeys properly. 

Other state highway maintenance works

• SH6 Whangamoa Saddle resilience work  

• Ongoing 24/7 resilience work. Stop/go with delays of up to 10 minutes.

• SH1 Riverlands resurfacing work
  • Night time resurfacing on State Highway 1 at the Alabama Road intersection from 6 pm to 7 am on Monday, 10, Tuesday, 11, and Wednesday, 12 November.
  • Stop/go traffic management with delays of up to 10 minutes during work hours.
  • All traffic needing to access Alabama Road during work hours must detour via Redwood Street.

• SH1 Spring Creek roundabout resurfacing work
  • Night time resurfacing on State Highway 1 at the Spring Creek roundabout from 7 pm to 7am on Thursday 13 and Friday, 14 November.
  • Stop/go traffic management on State Highway 1 with delays of up to 10 minutes.
  • No access to or from Ferry Road via State Highway 1 during work hours. A detour will be in place via Tua Marina from Blind Creek Road to Thomas Road, Neal Road onto Chaytors Road, Bothams Bend Road and then Ferry Road (or vice versa).
  • Heavy vehicle access to the Spring Creek industrial area will be maintained via Gouland Road.

• SH1 Weld Pass night closures
  • Sunday, 23 November to Friday, 5 December, 7pm to 5am. No work on the night of Saturday, 29 November.
  • Full road closure - no suitable local road detours available. An alternative route to Christchurch is via the inland route – St Arnaud, Murchison, Lewis Pass. This is a significantly longer route and has much longer travel times.
  • There will be one opening each night at midnight to let queued traffic through the work area. The northbound lane will travel first, followed by the southbound lane.

SH6 Whangamoa Saddle - works schedule and location 

• 9, November to 28, November. Sunday to Thursday nights, 8 pm – 5:30 am. 

• No work will be done on Friday and Saturday nights. The highway will be open, but traffic management and temporary speed limits will apply at work areas. 

• There will be one nightly opening of the road at 12:30 am to allow vehicles through. Drivers must be at the closure points (at the weighbridge in Hira, and on the Rai Valley straight at Rai Engineering & Mechanical) by 12:30 am. 

• Bad weather may see works delayed or extended. 

• Access will be available for emergency services at all times 

• There will be other areas of work on our state highways across the top of the South during November. Please plan ahead when travelling.  

Detour route

• The alternate route for drivers wanting to travel over night between Blenheim and Nelson is via State Highway 63 and St Arnaud.  

• This a much longer route and will add around 45 minutes to travel times between Nelson and Renwick 

Works location

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