Following damage to the road surface caused by flooding, crews are working on State Highway 1 (SH1) at Whakapara today to apply a temporary chipseal.

Drivers may notice changes in texture or loose chip and should drive to the conditions and follow any temporary speed limits.

The recent severe rain caused damage both to the road surface on the Whakapara overflow bridge as well as completely flooding a section of road nearby that was in the final stages of being rebuilt.

Prior to the storm damage, the road rebuild only required a short period of settled weather to finish the final sealing, however now elements need to be re-done.

Applying a temporary chipseal allows the road to remain open and safer for traffic, while protecting the underlying pavement until conditions are right to finish the job properly.

To complete the final seal properly, we need around 5–6 consecutive days of good weather to allow the pavement to stabilise, cure, and be sealed. We can’t do that yet, with more rain forecast and a significant increase in traffic volumes expected over the Easter weekend.

Once a suitable weather window is available, the temporary seal will be integrated into the pavement and then prepared for a permanent durable sealing process. This approach avoids rework, reduces disruption, and ensures the road performs as intended over the long term.

NZTA thanks Northland road users for their patience.