Emergency works events

Emergency works events are funded from Work Category 141, which covers assets, facilities and services eligible for funding from the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) that require:

  • an immediate response for public safety or to provide vital access
  • reinstatement of customer levels of transport service.

The qualifying criteria for emergency works events and exclusions are well defined on the PIKB website:;

Planning and Investment Knowledge Base - Work Category 141: Emergency works

Emergency works events are managed across two distinct phases.

Response phase

The response phase describes the work required to keep the highway open (or re-open the highway if closed), during and immediately following an event. This can include clean up and temporary works to maintain community links and to maintain the safe operation of the highway and may require a reduced operating capacity such as single lane operations, controlled convoys and reduced opening times.

Recovery phase

The recovery phase describes the work required to return the asset to the agreed level of service for the affected roads. For smaller or low impact emergency works events, a recovery phase may not be required, that is, once clean-up has been completed there may be no reinstatement or additional work required.

Emergency works funding guide

Emergency works funding guide [PDF, 386 KB]

The purpose of the emergency works funding guide is to explain the following:

  • application and approval process
  • emergency works management reporting.

The funding guide has been developed to clarify the policy, process and procedures for emergency works funding.

The audience for this guide is:

  • Maintenance & Operations Group:
    • Network Managers
    • Maintenance Contract Managers
    • System Managers
    • Regional Managers
  • Programme & Standards Group:
    • Asset Investment Advisors
    • Programme & Performance Team
  • Waka Kotahi suppliers

Emergency works recovery guide

Emergency works recovery guide [PDF, 515 KB] 

The purpose of this guide is to provide clear guidance to Waka Kotahi network teams and suppliers on how to manage emergency works events on state highways with a specific focus on the recovery phase.

The audience for this guide is:

  • Maintenance & Operations Group:
    • Network Managers
    • Maintenance Contract Managers
    • System Managers
    • Regional Managers
    • Journey Managers
  • Programme & Standards Group:
    • Asset Investment Advisors
    • Programme & Performance Team
  • Waka Kotahi suppliers

Forms and templates

Emergency works funding:

Emergency works management:

More information

An explanation of emergency works: