NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises essential maintenance and improvement work on State Highway 16 (SH16) in the Port area will begin on Sunday 19 January and continue through to April 2025.

To ensure we make the most of the closure and maximise value for money, our team will use this opportunity to carry out three essential projects. This will remove the need for separate closures throughout the year that may cause a similar disruption.

The work we will be carrying out includes:

• The Strand road rehabilitation - westbound (towards the motorway) lanes on The Strand.
• The Strand Optimisation project – stage 1 improvements - Paving, curb and lane and pedestrian crossing redesign on Stanley Street, The Strand and Gladstone Road.
• Commercial Vehicle Safety Programme (CVSP) - Surface preparation to strengthen the road for the installation of the Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) plates near St Georges Bay Road.

The Strand Optimisation project – stage 1 improvements will begin on Sunday 19 January near Saatchi and Saatchi (123 The Strand) and be carried out Sundays to Thursdays between 9pm and 5am. We expect this to be completed in April 2025. During weeknights there will be lane restrictions, but traffic will be able to travel in both directions along SH16. There will be no street parking available on The Strand while work is being carried out.

The Strand Road Rehabilitation and WIM preparation weekend work will begin on Friday 31 January and be carried out over four consecutive weekends from 9pm Friday to 5am Monday. During the weekend there will be a full westbound closure (towards Stanley Street). A detour will be in place via Quay Street, Tangihua Street and Beach Road. Alternatively light vehicles can use Gladstone Road, St Stephens Ave and Parnell Rise. These detour routes will add approximately 10 minutes to people’s journeys.

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Businesses along The Strand will be open during the weekend; however, street parking will not be available. Public parking at Shipwright Lane, Wilson Parking (70 The Strand) and surrounding streets will still be accessible. People visiting the area are advised to check with the relevant business/es whether access to onsite parking is available.

NZTA appreciates the impact these works will have on motorists and the community in the area. After careful consideration of several options, our contractors have chosen the quickest and safest way to complete these works.

Our crews will be working to complete these projects as quickly as possible. Detours will be in place for road users, and access to businesses and residents along SH16 may be affected. We strongly advise businesses in the area to plan their operations with the closure timetable in mind.

People travelling through the area should plan ahead and expect delays.

To view the latest information, go to www.nzta.govt.nz/asm/summer-works.

This work is weather dependent and may need to be postponed. For real-time updates please visit www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz.

NZTA appreciates everyone’s patience and understanding while we complete these important works.

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