4 March 2026 – SH99 to partially reopen soon

Work is on track for lifting of a full closure for a section of State Highway 99 in Southland this coming Monday.

Following culvert strengthening for flood protection, and related work, the full closure of SH99/Wallacetown-Lorneville Road, between the intersections of Ryal Bush-Wallacetown Road and Underwood-Linds Bridge Road, is due to be removed at 6pm on Monday 9 March.

Once that happens, the traffic management for this stretch of highway will change to one lane of traffic, with temporary traffic lights and a 30km/h temporary speed limit operating daily from 7am to 6pm. This is to enable road renewal work which includes excavation, fill and resurfacing. People should expect delays of up to 15 minutes while this traffic management is in place, expected to be for about four weeks from Monday.

Poor weather may impact upon the scheduling of the remaining work. People can stay up to date with the latest at our Journey Planner site.

We thank people for their patience while this important and necessary work is undertaken.

16 February 2026 – Full and partial closures on SH99 for roadworks

Significant and necessary roadworks on part of State Highway 99 in Southland will mean 24/7 closures over about two weeks, followed by lesser traffic restrictions, which road users are encouraged to plan for.

The 1.3km section of SH99/Wallacetown-Lorneville Road, between the intersections of Ryal Bush-Wallacetown Road and Underwood-Linds Bridge Road, is scheduled to be closed for culvert strengthening to provide flood protection, from 6.30am on Monday 23 February through to Monday 9 March.

During this time, a detour will be available for all vehicles via Ryal Bush-Wallacetown Road, Collinson Road and State Highway 6/Winton-Lorneville Highway. All businesses will be able to remain open and accessible, while residents will continue to have access to their properties during this closure.

The nature of the work means that partial closures will not be practical during this time. Drainage and road stabilising work will also be carried out alongside the culvert strengthening to make the most of the closure.

From Monday 9 March through until early April, the full closure will be lifted, but the site will operate daily from 7am to 6pm with only one lane of traffic, temporary traffic lights, and a 30km/h temporary speed limit. This is to enable road renewal work which includes excavation, fill and resurfacing.

Because of the volume of traffic, people should expect delays of up to 20 minutes. Access for businesses and residents will be maintained during this second stage of work and lane closure.

The annual average daily traffic at a count site on SH99 close to the closure area was 5673 as of a year ago.

These two periods of work are dependent on various factors such as weather and could be postponed or rescheduled at short notice. Stay up to date at our Journey Planner site.

We thank people in advance for their patience while this important work is undertaken.

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