Lower North Island/Upper South Island - planned state highway roadworks

The details below outline the main planned state highway roadworks occurring in the greater Wellington region and the top of the South Island over the holiday period.

Over the Christmas/New Year holiday break Waka Kotahi runs a moratorium on its roadworks programme. This helps reduce delays and disruptions for holiday traffic. The moratorium runs from 12 pm, Thursday 22 December to 9 am, Wednesday 4 January. Emergency maintenance and safety works will continue to be carried out over this period.

Holiday driving

Waka Kotahi has updated our popular online holiday journeys traffic prediction tool which shows predicted traffic flow over the Christmas and New Year holiday, based on previous year’s travel patterns. This handy ‘trip hack’ is a great way to plan your trips and avoid delays.

Holiday journeys traffic prediction tool(external link)

Further details about regional state highway conditions and roadworks are also published on our website:

• Wellington Roadworks(external link)
• Nelson/Marlborough traffic updates(external link)
• Tasman traffic updates(external link)

NOTE: Roadworks are dependent on weather and other factors. If bad weather should strike, work will be postponed to the next suitable night in the works programme.

Wellington, Porirua, Kāpiti, Hutt

State Highway 1

SH1 Ngauranga Gorge

• Monday night 26 December to Sunday night 8 January 2023, day/night
• Southbound one lane closed for rockfall safety works 

SH1 North of Ōtaki, Forest Lakes

• Northbound passing lane - CLOSED

State Highway 58

SH58 Haywards Hill to Pauatahanui

• During the holidays altered lane layout and restricted speed limit for project works

Wairarapa State Highways

State Highway 2

Between Carterton and Masterton

• Northbound and southbound passing lanes CLOSED

Nelson/Tasman State Highways

State Highway 6

SH6 Waller Street, Murchison

• Maintenance and monitoring of reseal works
• Potential for loose chip and temporary speed limits

State Highway 60

SH60 Bird’s Hill, Golden Bay

• Open to two lanes, 50km speed restriction
• From 17 January, 30km speed restriction, single lane managed via traffic lights