Update - Friday 27 March:

Due to heavy rain, crews have not been able to complete the road rebuild work in Carterton scheduled for this week. 

The work is now scheduled to be completed between 7am on Monday 30 March until 5pm Wednesday 1 April. 

In order to accommodate local road works being carried out by Carterton District Council nearby, traffic management will be updated as below:

Day work

SH2 will be CLOSED southbound between Hilton Road and Charles Street

The closure will be in place Monday to Wednesday, 7am – 7pm

Night

Work will be undertaken overnight, from 7pm Monday to 7am Tuesday, and from 7pm Tuesday to 7am Wednesday

The road will remain open, with stop/go traffic controls in place.

17 March:

Wairarapa drivers and Carterton residents are urged to be ready for upcoming road works planned for State Highway 2.

A road rebuild is planned for the highway in Carterton beginning next week - Monday, 23 March and continuing until Friday, 27 March. 

The road works will be underway 24/7, with SH2 undergoing a full rebuild between Hilton Road and halfway between Frederick and Charles Streets.

The highway will be closed to southbound traffic but will remain open under a 30 km/h temporary speed limit to northbound traffic at all times.

Southbound traffic will have to detour via Moreton, Para, and Waihakeke Roads. This is a longer route and will require extra travel time. 

Why the work is needed

The road pavement is at the end of its working life and requires a full replacement. This will require deep excavation of the road. Contractors will remove around 310 centimetres of the road and then build it up again with three new layers of structural asphalt.

The result will be a new piece of highway that will last for 25 years, with the road surface expected to last 10 to 12 years. 

This means less ongoing maintenance for areas where full rebuilds have been completed.

Driver advice

The work involved will be disruptive and will require directional closures and local road detours. Drivers and residents must be prepared for its impact.

Because of the excavation involved and the heavy machinery used, drivers cannot use the road lanes while they are being worked on. It risks damaging both the road being worked on and vehicles. 

Drivers are asked to respect the traffic management in place and all temporary speed limits. They are there to keep everyone safe.

The work is weather dependent. Road rebuilds require dry weather to be completed successfully. While extra time has been factored in to account for wet weather, schedules may change. Regular updates will be provided to keep the community informed.

SH2 Carterton rebuild

• Monday, 23 March to Friday, 27 March. 24/7
• SH2 road rebuild between Hilton Road and halfway between Frederick and Charles Streets
• SH2 CLOSED to southbound traffic. It will remain open under a 30 km/h temporary speed limit to northbound traffic at all times.
• Southbound traffic to detour via Moreton, Para, and Waihakeke Roads.

Upcoming works – SH2 Wairarapa

The work in Carterton will be followed by similar work on State Highway 2 at Clareville. This is currently scheduled to begin at the end of April. Dates and schedules will be updated and confirmed before work begins.

SH2 Clareville Rebuild

• 7 am Monday, 27 April, to Friday, 22 May. Specific timing on hours of work TBC
• SH2 road rebuild north of Hughes Line intersection
• SH2 CLOSED to southbound traffic between East Taratahi/Wiltons Road and Hughes Line. The highway will remain OPEN under a 30 km/h temporary speed limit to northbound traffic at all times.
• Southbound traffic to detour via East Taratahi Road and Hughes Line