Kāpiti drivers (and the rest of the world) who usually head south on Transmission Gully should consider using State Highway 59, particularly in peak times, as works begin on TG tomorrow.
NZTA says from Sunday 8 November, road users in the Wellington region can expect to see an increase in road maintenance activity on State Highway 1 Transmission Gully until March 2027.
The roadworks will impact southbound traffic, so people travelling from Kāpiti to Wellington. Drivers should consider using State Highway 59, especially at busy times such as morning peak hour (Monday to Friday 6am – 8am) and weekends.
NZTA says this is essential maintenance to help ensure Transmission Gully can continue to operate safely and efficiently. “We know this work will cause disruption, and we thank road users for their patience while it is carried out. NZTA’s plan is to bring Transmission Gully up to a modern motorway standard that is fit for purpose over the coming 20+ years.”
What’s happening
This season’s work will focus on drainage installation and pavement reconstruction on southbound sections of Transmission Gully that are in the poorest condition. The work will be between Paekākāriki and State Highway 58 Interchange. See work area map below.
NZTA says there will be some overnight resurfacing works in the northbound lanes, but this will only impact northbound traffic for a few nights.
Transmission Gully work area map
All the drainage and pavement reconstruction work is in the southbound lanes, as shown (sites 1 and 2). The minor resurfacing works are in the northbound lane (site 3). The sites in red are the major drainage and pavement reconstruction sites already completed last season.
Schedule
The work will happen in two main stages as follows.
Stage 1: Drainage installation works
- From Sunday 8 November night through until mid-December there will be 24/7 southbound lane closures, between Paekākāriki and SH58 Interchange.
- The lane closures will be in place at all times, and NZTA will reopen all southbound lanes ahead of Christmas.
- All lanes will be open over the Christmas holidays.
- “We’ll need to close the SH58 Haywards southbound offramp in approximately late November for a few days and nights. We’ll update the schedule closer to the time.”
“We’ve allowed a gap in the Christmas holidays to ensure the road is fully open at this time. It also allows the concrete to completely dry out and cure before we come and do more work in January,” says NZTA.
Stage 2: Pavement reconstruction works
- From 12 January through until mid-late March, there will be 24/7 southbound lane closures again, between Paekākāriki and SH58 Interchange. NZTA will update this schedule with the confirmed start date closer to the time.
- All lanes will be open by the Easter holidays.
- “We’ll need to close the SH58 Haywards southbound offramp again for a few days and nights. We’ll update the schedule closer to the time.”
“Crews will be working both day and night between Sunday nights and Friday afternoons. There will be no works during these times, however the lanes will still be closed when we’re not working.”
What road users can expect
- Frequent southbound congestion, especially during busy weekday peak periods, Monday to Friday (6am – 8am) and weekends.
- Temporary traffic management and reduced speed limit of 50km/hr.
- Work taking place during both the day and night, Sunday night to Friday afternoon with no work in the weekends (Friday evening to Sunday afternoon).
- Southbound lane closures 24/7.
- There will be no chipseal work this season.
- Allow extra time for journeys. Consider using SH59 and check Journey Planner to stay updated.
Alternate route
To avoid the road works, people should consider using State Highway 59, particularly during busy travel periods, Monday to Friday 6am – 8am and during the weekends. Using SH59 may help reduce delays for some journeys while work is underway on Transmission Gully.
No chipseal resurfacing this season
There will be no chipseal resurfacing works on Transmission Gully this season.
“We know last season’s chipseal work caused significant frustration for road users. Those works were necessary to waterproof the road. That means drivers can expect no loose chip on the highway this season.”
Temporary repairs before major works
Road users may notice small temporary patch repairs in the coming months.
These repairs are being carried out to help keep the road safe until more extensive pavement reconstruction can take place during the warmer months.
Why this work is needed
NZTA says some areas of the road are breaking down because water is getting into the pavement. This weakens the road and has caused cracking and potholes in some places.
The areas being worked on this season are the fastest deteriorating sections, so they have been prioritised for replacement.
“If we don’t do this work now, the road will fail and more ongoing maintenance will be required which will be even more disruptive to road users with less advance notice.
“New drainage and pavement reconstruction are needed to help prevent the pavement from failing further. New drainage will help keep water out, and the pavement reconstruction is intended to reduce the need for bigger repairs later.”
