Drivers in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty can breathe a sigh of relief—the massive 2024/25 road maintenance programme has wrapped up.  

After months of dedicated work through the summer, crews have completed an ambitious schedule of road rebuilds, resurfacing, and chip sealing, alongside ongoing maintenance efforts.  

Major worksites completed include: 

Waikato – 290 lane kilometres repaired or rebuilt 

• A 6-week road rebuild through the Waikato village of Ōhaupō on SH3 
• A 4-week road rebuild in Rukuhia on SH3 
• 4 weeks of road resurfacing on SH27 in Waharoa 
• A road rebuild on SH29 in Te Poi. 

Bay of Plenty – 137 lane kilometres repaired or rebuilt 

• 6 road rebuilds on SH29 Kaimai Range between Tauriko and the summit 
• A 5-week road rebuild on SH2 north of Tauranga near Snodgrass Road 
• Several weeks of resurfacing work in the Waioweka Gorge on SH2, which required full road closures at times 
• A road rebuild on SH36 between Tauranga and Rotorua  
• 8 asphalt resurfacing sites in and around urban Tauranga on SH2 and SH29 
• A road rebuild on SH30 Sala Street in Rotorua 
• A significant road rebuild on SH5 west of Rotorua 

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) would like to thank the public for their patience while all this important work was completed. 

Crews are now shifting gears to focus on keeping roads safe through the colder, wetter months. With temperatures starting to drop, teams will be tackling routine upkeep and responding to weather-related issues, like slips, flooding and road closures. 

We don’t often see heavy snow in Waikato and Bay of Plenty, but frost can be a real challenge, says Sandra King, NZTA System Manager Bay of Plenty. 

"Frost tends to hit hardest at daybreak, so drivers should keep that in mind. Watch out for icy spots in shaded areas and be extra careful on bridges, as they can stay slippery longer than regular road surfaces. Slowing down is the best way to stay safe."

Waikato & Bay of Plenty State Highway Works May 2025 [PDF, 355 KB]