If you find it easier to navigate we have supplied a PDF version of our interactive map.

View North Island hotspots

If you find it easier to navigate we have supplied a PDF version of our interactive map.

View South Island hotspotsView South Island hotspots

Information about roadworks in the Wellington-Kāpiti region.

Well maintained roads are an important part of keeping people safe.  While we aim to do this work with as little disruption as possible, we know that roadworks can be inconvenient.  Thanks for your patience and understanding while we do this important work.

Please drive carefully through work sites and stick to the temporary speed limits.  If you’re driving around the Wellington region, roadworks on the state highway network may affect your travel plans.

Below is a quick outline of the major works planned for the coming week from 25 September 2016 .  We’ll keep you posted on future works and have regular updates on local radio stations.

State Highway 1

Information about roadworks in the Wairarapa region

Well maintained roads are an important part of keeping people safe.  While we aim to do this work with as little disruption as possible, we know that roadworks can be inconvenient.  Thanks for your patience and understanding while we do this important work.

Please drive carefully through work sites and stick to the temporary speed limits.  If you’re driving around the Wairarapa, roadworks on the state highway network may affect your travel plans.

Below is a quick outline of the major works planned for the coming week from 25 September 2016 .  We’ll keep you posted on future works and have regular updates on local radio stations.

State Highway 2

NOTE: If bad weather should strike, work will be postponed to the next suitable night.

Connecting the Expressway to the existing state highway

The Mackays to Peka Peka (M2PP) Expressway stretches for 18km between Mackays Crossing in the south, and Peka Peka in the north. In these areas, the Expressway needs to be connected, or ‘tied-in’ to the existing state highway. Which means in the months leading up to the Expressway opening, there’s a lot of action on or near State Highway 1, so this work can take place.

Poplar Avenue Interchange works

At the southern end, the M2PP works begin at the Mackays Crossing overbridge, on the four lane length of State Highway 1 known as the Raumati Straights. The first 2km involves rehabilitation of the existing roadway, to expressway standard and will eventually tie into Transmission Gully. The new Expressway starts just south of Poplar Avenue.

New road layouts

In the Poplar Avenue area road layout changes are being made while the project team works around live traffic to make these connections. 

In September, State Highway 1 northbound traffic started using the Expressway off-ramp at the Poplar Avenue partial interchange. The Expressway isn’t open yet, but the off-ramp is being used to carry motorists safely around the works area. Southbound traffic is using the same lanes along the existing SH1 for now.

This means motorists travelling north on the Raumati Straights, heading towards Raumati South from Poplar Avenue, are using the Poplar Avenue off-ramp to exit SH1 instead of the old Poplar Avenue/SH1 t-intersection. Those wanting to continue heading north on SH1 have also been temporarily re-routed, using the other ramp that’s been built for the Poplar Avenue interchange. There’s now no left hand turn at the t-intersection into Poplar Avenue from the State Highway.

Poplar Avenue stage one overview

Poplar Avenue stage one close up

Cyclists

Cyclists travelling north past Raumati South need to head down the off-ramp and around the roundabout, before merging back onto the existing state highway north of the Poplar Avenue intersection. Southbound cyclists continue to use the shoulder as they normally would.

Speed limits

The 70km/h limit that has been in place for the last few years remains through this area and works are happening between the north and southbound lanes.

Peka Peka Interchange works 

At the northern end of the new Expressway near Peka Peka, the route will transition from two lanes in each direction, to one lane in each direction as it connects to the existing state highway towards Ōtaki.

Changes are also being made in this area so the project team can work around traffic to build these connections. 

New SH1 route

A temporary re-route of SH1 traffic in October is part of those changes. This will see both north and southbound SH1 traffic travelling along a newly built local link road and over the bridge above the Expressway route, until the Expressway opens, so work can continue around the existing SH1 area.

There are two stages to the change:

Stage one

Stage one sees northbound traffic using the route for a few days.

Stage two

Stage two sees both north and southbound traffic on the new road.

Download Stage One and Stage Two of the Peka Peka map to see the new route.

A new 171 metre long wooden boardwalk crosses the mangrove plantation beside the Waitemata Harbour near the Eric Armishaw Reserve.

It was opened at a ribbon cutting celebration today (Saturday, 1 October) by the NZ Transport Agency, the Albert-Eden Local Board representing Auckland Council, community leaders and the Well-Connected Alliance.

The boardwalk is one of several community facilities being built by the Well-Connected Alliance which is constructing the Waterview Connection on behalf of the New Zealand Government and the NZ Transport Agency.

“Waterview is a great example of how big infrastructure projects are working to connect communities as well as deliver transport networks that are nationally important,” says the Transport Agency’s Transport Planning Manager for Auckland and Northland, Paul Glucina.

“The Eric Armishaw Reserve also reflects a wider commitment by the Government and the Transport Agency to provide alternative ways to travel and facilities that walkers and cyclists can use safely.”

Mr Glucina acknowledged that the boardwalk has been a priority for the community, and the work of the Albert-Eden Local Board to get the best possible outcomes.

Margi Watson from the Albert-Eden Local Board says the boardwalk will restore community connections.

“The new boardwalk is about local community, creating safe access to parkland and restoration of the historic connection that was severed in the 1950s when SH16 was built,” says Ms Watson. “The Albert-Eden Local Board fully supported the community who called for this connection to be delivered as part of the Waterview Connection Project and I am delighted to see it built and opened today”.

Next year the Eric Armishaw Boardwalk will be extended further into Point Chevalier, and will link with other walkways to provide better access to Waterview and communities beyond.
The Waterview tunnels are on track to open in early 2017 to connect the Northwestern and Southwestern Motorways which will complete the Western Ring Route.

The project is being delivered by the Well-Connected Alliance which includes the Transport Agency, Fletcher Construction, McConnell Dowell, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Beca, Tonkin & Taylor and Japanese construction company Obayashi Corporation. Sub-alliance partners are Auckland-based Wilson Tunnelling and Spanish tunnel controls specialists SICE.

Each year, between October and March, we survey the condition of our highways. We do this using a specialist vehicle called ‘SCRIM+’ (Sideway-force Coefficient Routine Investigation Machine). SCRIM+ collects data on range of condition aspects, which allows us to respond to any arising maintenance issues and helps ensure road users continue to travel safely.

Check the table below for the survey start and end dates for the  2015/16 SCRIM+ survey programme in each area.

Connecting the Expressway to the existing state highway

The Mackays to Peka Peka (M2PP) Expressway stretches for 18km between Mackays Crossing in the south, and Peka Peka in the north. In these areas, the Expressway needs to be connected, or ‘tied-in’ to the existing state highway. Which means in the months leading up to the Expressway opening, there’s a lot of action on or near State Highway 1, so this work can take place.

Poplar Avenue Interchange works

Peka Peka Interchange works

Poplar Avenue Interchange works

At the southern end, the M2PP works begin at the Mackays Crossing overbridge, on the four lane length of State Highway 1 known as the Raumati Straights. The first 2km involves rehabilitation of the existing roadway, to expressway standard and will eventually tie into Transmission Gully. The new Expressway starts just south of Poplar Avenue.

New road layouts

In the Poplar Avenue area road layout changes are being made while the project team works around live traffic to make these connections. 

In September, State Highway 1 northbound traffic started using the Expressway off-ramp at the Poplar Avenue partial interchange. The Expressway isn’t open yet, but the off-ramp is being used to carry motorists safely around the works area. Southbound traffic is using the same lanes along the existing SH1 for now.

This means motorists travelling north on the Raumati Straights, heading towards Raumati South from Poplar Avenue, are using the Poplar Avenue off-ramp to exit SH1 instead of the old Poplar Avenue/SH1 t-intersection. Those wanting to continue heading north on SH1 have also been temporarily re-routed, using the other ramp that’s been built for the Poplar Avenue interchange. There’s now no left hand turn at the t-intersection into Poplar Avenue from the State Highway.

Poplar Avenue stage one overview

Poplar Avenue stage one close up

Cyclists

Cyclists travelling north past Raumati South need to head down the off-ramp and around the roundabout, before merging back onto the existing state highway north of the Poplar Avenue intersection. Southbound cyclists continue to use the shoulder as they normally would.

Speed limits

The 70km/h limit that has been in place for the last few years remains through this area and works are happening between the north and southbound lanes.

Back to topBack to top

Peka Peka Interchange works 

At the northern end of the new Expressway near Peka Peka, the route will transition from two lanes in each direction, to one lane in each direction as it connects to the existing state highway towards Ōtaki.

Changes are also being made in this area so the project team can work around traffic to build these connections. 

New SH1 route

A temporary re-route of SH1 traffic in October is part of those changes. This will see both north and southbound SH1 traffic travelling along a newly built local link road and over the bridge above the Expressway route, until the Expressway opens, so work can continue around the existing SH1 area.

There are two stages to the change:

Stage one

Stage one sees northbound traffic using the route for a few days.

Stage two

Stage two sees both north and southbound traffic on the new road.

Download Stage One and Stage Two of the Peka Peka map to see the new route.

Back to topBack to top

A new 171 metre long wooden boardwalk crosses the mangrove plantation beside the Waitemata Harbour near the Eric Armishaw Reserve.

It was opened at a ribbon cutting celebration today (Saturday, 1 October) by the NZ Transport Agency, the Albert-Eden Local Board representing Auckland Council, community leaders and the Well-Connected Alliance.

The boardwalk is one of several community facilities being built by the Well-Connected Alliance which is constructing the Waterview Connection on behalf of the New Zealand Government and the NZ Transport Agency.

“Waterview is a great example of how big infrastructure projects are working to connect communities as well as deliver transport networks that are nationally important,” says the Transport Agency’s Transport Planning Manager for Auckland and Northland, Paul Glucina.

“The Eric Armishaw Reserve also reflects a wider commitment by the Government and the Transport Agency to provide alternative ways to travel and facilities that walkers and cyclists can use safely.”

Mr Glucina acknowledged that the boardwalk has been a priority for the community, and the work of the Albert-Eden Local Board to get the best possible outcomes.

Margi Watson from the Albert-Eden Local Board says the boardwalk will restore community connections.

“The new boardwalk is about local community, creating safe access to parkland and restoration of the historic connection that was severed in the 1950s when SH16 was built,” says Ms Watson. “The Albert-Eden Local Board fully supported the community who called for this connection to be delivered as part of the Waterview Connection Project and I am delighted to see it built and opened today”.

Next year the Eric Armishaw Boardwalk will be extended further into Point Chevalier, and will link with other walkways to provide better access to Waterview and communities beyond.
The Waterview tunnels are on track to open in early 2017 to connect the Northwestern and Southwestern Motorways which will complete the Western Ring Route.

The project is being delivered by the Well-Connected Alliance which includes the Transport Agency, Fletcher Construction, McConnell Dowell, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Beca, Tonkin & Taylor and Japanese construction company Obayashi Corporation. Sub-alliance partners are Auckland-based Wilson Tunnelling and Spanish tunnel controls specialists SICE.

Each year, between October and March, we survey the condition of our highways. We do this using a specialist vehicle called ‘SCRIM+’ (Sideway-force Coefficient Routine Investigation Machine). SCRIM+ collects data on range of condition aspects, which allows us to respond to any arising maintenance issues and helps ensure road users continue to travel safely.

Check the table below for the survey start and end dates for the  2015/16 SCRIM+ survey programme in each area.

Information about roadworks in the Wellington-Kāpiti region.

Well maintained roads are an important part of keeping people safe.  While we aim to do this work with as little disruption as possible, we know that roadworks can be inconvenient.  Thanks for your patience and understanding while we do this important work.

Please drive carefully through work sites and stick to the temporary speed limits.  If you’re driving around the Wellington region, roadworks on the state highway network may affect your travel plans.

Below is a quick outline of the major works planned for the coming week from 25 September 2016 .  We’ll keep you posted on future works and have regular updates on local radio stations.

State Highway 1

NOTE: If bad weather should strike, work will be postponed to the next suitable night.

Winter Journeys has comeFor road travellers, winter (usually between June and August) can be the most dangerous time of year for driving. It doesn’t have to an end,be if you would like to find out about the latest road information please go to www.nzta.govt.nz/Traffic or call 0800 44 44 49.

Drive safe.you’re prepared and plan your trip in advance.

This information is for those interested in the installation of public charging infrastructure. It outlines types of charging systems and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and provides recommendations for public charging point connectors. and socket outlets. The recommendations have been made to help achieve interoperability of New Zealand’s public charging infrastructure network.

These recommendations will help ensure that New Zealand’s public charging infrastructure:

• enables the maximum number of electric vehicles (EVs) to be charged using publicly accessible charging infrastructure
• aligns with emerging technology and market changes
• is safe for infrastructure users, and
• is compatible with the existing fleet of EVs. 

View the recommendations for public charging installations .

Types of charging systems

There are two broad types of public charging systems.

Public DC charging

DC powered charging in New Zealand is typically fast charge. These systems are currently capable of providing charging at a rate of up to 350km/hour (a Nissan Leaf would be charged to 80 percent full in around 20 minutes). This type of charging is suited to locations serving inter-city EV drivers, where drivers want to make shorter stops, or where the infrastructure provider wants to encourage a rapid turnover of users. 

Public AC charging

AC powered charging is provided in a range of charging speeds. Typical AC systems tend to provide drivers with a charging rate of 20-40km/hour (a Nissan Leaf would be fully charged within eight hours). This is more suitable for locations where drivers stop for longer or where a high turnover of users is less important. There is also some high-powered AC charging systems available that have a charging rate of around 150km/hour.

Electric vehicle supply equipment

Charging station

The charging station supplies and manages the electricity that is supplied to the EV and ensures that the charging of the EV is safe.

Supply cable

The supply cable transfers electricity from the charging station to the vehicle connector on the EV. It also provides communication between the vehicle and the charging station, allowing the vehicle and charging station to work together to control how and when the vehicle is charged. 

Charging station - supply cable connection

The supply cable may be hard-wired into the charging station (i.e. “tethered”), or it may be connected to the charging station by a plug on the supply cable inserted into a socket outlet on the charging station.

Supply cable-electric vehicle connection

The supply cable-EV connection comprises of a connector on the supply cable and an inlet on the vehicle. 

A typical vehicle-side charging point connection.

Types of charging connectors

The types of charging connectors ¹ that relate to New Zealand’s EV fleet are as follows:

Connector	Description
SAE J1772 Type 1 AC	TYPE 1 AC This is a standard connector for AC charging. It has origins in the US but is also a standard connector in use in Japan. Some European-origin EVs also use this connector. EV models with Type 1 inlets in New Zealand include: Nissan Leaf (including imports) Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Nissan e-NV 200 Kia Soul EV BMW i3 (New Zealand new) Audi 3 e-tron (New Zealand new)
SAE J1772 DC CCS Combo 1 Connector Type 1	TYPE 1 DC CCS Combo 1 This connector is used in the US for DC charging and was also adopted for some European-origin EVs. Models with Type 1 Combo inlets in New Zealand include: BMW i3 (New Zealand new)
Chademo Yazaki Connector	CHAdeMo DC (recommended for New Zealand) This connector is used for DC charging in Japan and is currently the most common connector used for DC charging in New Zealand. It is also used in the US and in Europe. Models with CHAdeMO inlets in New Zealand include: Nissan Leaf (including imports) Nissan e-NV200 Tesla (using an accessory supplied by Tesla)
IEC 62196 Type 2	TYPE 2 or Mennekes AC (Recommended for the connection of the supply cable to the charging station when using untethered cables)   This connector has become widely used across Europe.  Models with Mennekes inlets in New Zealand include: used European EVs including BMW, Audi, VW and Mercedes New Zealand new Renault Zoe and Kangoo Z.E.
EU DC CCS Combo 2 Connector Type 2	EU DC CSS Combo TYPE 2 DC (Recommended for New Zealand) This is a fast DC charging connector used extensively across Europe. The industry in New Zealand is adopting this connector, alongside the CHAdeMo, for fast (and possibly slow) DC charging. Models with Type 2 Combo inlets in New Zealand include: European-origin EVs including BMW i3 and VW e-GOLF
Tesla charging connector	Tesla Designed for Tesla cars only. It has fast DC and AC, and slow AC, charging capabilities. Note: these proprietary chargers are not installed in New Zealand; however a Telsa supplied accessory can been used with CHAdeMO or CCS Type 2 connectors.

Recommendations for public charging installations

Public FAST charging

It is recommended that DC fast charge installations have at least two tethered cables:

one fitted with a Chademo connector , and

one fitted with a CCS Type 2 connector

It is also recommended that an additional Type 2 socket outlet is provided at the charging station (for relatively fast AC charging for selected vehicles).

Public SLOW charging

It is recommended that all public slow charge installations have a Type 2 socket outlet .

Note: 

• The use of a charging station fitted with a Type 2 socket outlet will require EV drivers to supply their own flexible cable with a Type 2 plug at one end and a plug that matches their vehicle at the other end.
• Adaptors that change the supply cable plug or vehicle connector into another type are not considered safe. Where connections to different connection types are required, then an additional, different, supply cable will be required.

Although the Transport Agency Board continues to make significant decisions related to the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP), most funding and procurement decisions have been delegated to Transport Agency staff. A summary of planning, funding and procurement delegations can be viewed in the Planning and Investment Knowledge Base .

In broad terms, the board has delegated decision making subject to certain monetary limits for new works, cost/scope adjustments, price level decreases, cash flow adjustments and emergency works.

The board has also approved delegation of funding approvals to approved organisations that meet certain criteria.

Delegated NLTP decisions

2016-17 decisions

• September 2016 NLTP decisions
• August 2016 NLTP decisions
• July 2016 NLTP decisions

2015-16 decisions

• June 2016 NLTP decisions
• May 2016 NLTP decisions
• April 2016 NLTP decisions
• March 2016 NLTP decisions
• February 2016 NLTP decisions
• January 2016 NLTP decisions
• December 2015 NLTP decisions
• November 2015 NLTP decisions
• October 2015 NLTP decisions
• September 2015 NLTP decisions
• August 2015 NLTP decisions
• July 2015 NLTP decisions

2014–15 decisions

• June 2015 NLTP decisions
• May 2015 NLTP decisions
• April 2015 NLTP decisions
• March 2015 NLTP decisions
• February 2015 NLTP decisions
• January 2015 NLTP decisions
• December 2014 NLTP decisions
• November 2014 NLTP decisions
• October 2014 NLTP decisions
• September 2014 NLTP decisions
• August 2014 NLTP decisions
• July 2014 NLTP decisions

2013–14 decisions

• June 2014 NLTP decisions
• May 2014 NLTP decisions
• April 2014 NLTP decisions
• March 2014 NLTP decisions
• February 2014 NLTP decisions
• January 2014 NLTP decisions
• December 2013 NLTP decisions
• November 2013 NLTP decisions
• October 2013 NLTP decisions
• September 2013 NLTP decisions
• August 2013 NLTP decisions
• July 2013 NLTP decisions

2012–13 decisions

• June 2013 NLTP decisions
• May 2013 NLTP decisions
• April 2013 NLTP decisions
• March 2013 NLTP decisions
• February 2013 NLTP decisions
• January 2013 NLTP decisions
• December 2012 NLTP decisions
• November 2012 NLTP decisions
• October 2012 NLTP decisions
• September 2012 NLTP decisions
• August 2012 NLTP decisions
• July 2012 NLTP decisions

2011–12 decisions

• June 2012 NLTP decisions
• May 2012 NLTP decisions
• April 2012 NLTP decisions
• March 2012 NLTP decisions
• February 2012 NLTP decisions
• January 2012 NLTP decisions
• December 2011 NLTP decisions
• November 2011 NLTP decisions
• October 2011 NLTP decisions
• September 2011 NLTP decisions
• August 2011 NLTP decisions

2010–11 decisions

• June 2011 NLTP decisions
• May 2011 NLTP decisions
• April 2011 NLTP decisions
• March 2011 NLTP decisions
• February 2011 NLTP decisions
• January 2011 NLTP decisions
• December 2010 NLTP decisions
• November 2010 NLTP decisions
• November 2010 Auckland Transport
• October 2010 NLTP decisions
• September 2010 NLTP decisions
• September 2010 Community Programme Activities
• August 2010 NLTP decisions
• August 2010 Total Mobility Operations

2009–10 decisions

• Reconciliation review 2009/10
• Supplementary review 2009/10
• June 2010 NLTP decisions
• May 2010 NLTP decisions
• April 2010 NLTP decisions
• March 2010 NLTP decisions
• February 2010 NLTP decisions
• Minor improvements review 2009/10
• January 2010 NLTP decisions
• December 2009 NLTP decisions
• November 2009 NLTP decisions
• October 2009 NLTP decisions
• September 2009 NLTP decisions
• August 2009 NLTP decisions

2008–09 decisions

• Reconciliation review 2008/09
• Supplementary review 2008/09
• July 2009 NLTP decisions
• July 2009 NLTP decisions – state highways only
• June 2009 NLTP decisions
• May 2009 NLTP decisions
• April 2009 NLTP decisions
• March 2009 NLTP decisions
• February 2009 NTLP decisions
• January 2009 NLTP decisions
• December 2008 NLTP decisions
• SH5 adjustments from 2007/08
• November 2008 NLTP decisions
• October 2008 NLTP decisions
• September 2008 NLTP decisions
• August 2008 NLTP decisions

More information

If you would like further details regarding a decision, please email the board secretariat: boardsecretariat@nzta.govt.nz .

OnRamp business continuity plan page

This Transport Agency internal page contains a wealth of information on business continuity plans .

MapHub

This map shows our resilience priority areas across New Zealand.

Incident management

This Transport Agency internal page contains information on incident management– a range of activities undertaken in response to disruptive incidents to ensure the ongoing safety and welfare of our people, the safeguarding of our property, systems and equipment, and the continuation or resumption of the delivery of our critical business functions.

Government Policy Statement on Land Transport

The Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS) sets out the government’s priorities for expenditure from the National Land Transport Fund over the next 10 years. This links to a Ministry of Transport web page.

Annual planning

Applying for a resilience project

• Minor resilience application form (<$300k) - application form for minor projects with expected costs below $300,000 including all design, investigation and construction costs. 
• Enhanced resilience application form (>$300k) - application form for more significant projects with expected costs above $300,000. 

In addition to these specific forms, you can find more information  State Highway Annual Plan resources page . 

Tools and research

Business cases and resilience insights 

This report summarises the key insights from our review of business cases for the top 9 priority corridors. These insights are intended to provide useful guidance for those preparing future business cases.

Economic impact assessment tool

The Measuring the Economic Resilience of Infrastructure Tool (MERIT) has been developed to provide an assessment of the wider economic impacts of a network outage. It is a dynamic, multi-regional and multi-sectoral economic model that contains all of the core features of a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. CGE models tend to be the favoured approach and are ‘state-of-art’ in the modelling of regional- and national-level economic impacts. Among the advantages of this type of model is: (1) the whole-of-economy coverage; (2) the capture of indirect and induced economic consequences; (3) the ‘general equilibrium’ impacts that result from price changes in an economy; and (4) the ability to describe the distribution through time of impacts across different economic sectors and regions. The tool will be available here around July 2016. 

We have undertaken pilot studies applying the tool to real recent major network outages, and  Measuring the Economic Resilience of Infrastructure Tool is the report of the trial on the SH4 floods. We have also developed a MERIT Primer that provides a digestible summary of the findings.

National resilience - 9 key corridors

As part of our work to understand and enhance the resilience of the state highway network, we asked Opus International to assess the resilience of the state highway network at a broad national level, and develop a methodology for assessing low frequency, high impact natural hazards at a regional level.

The national level resilience assessment has been initially carried out for 9 priority programme business case corridors, located throughout the country. The National state highway resilience - 9 priority PBC corridors report outlines the findings of this work. Inside the report you will find:

• Maps showing the resilience states for the state highways, presented as availability, outage and disruption states, and highlighting key areas of vulnerability of the state highways
• Map showing prioritisation of the state highway network
• A brief summary outlining the results of the assessment.

You may also be interested in these pages

Quakecore - New Zealand earthquake resilience researchers network

The QuakeCoRE web site is a national network of leading New Zealand Earthquake Resilience Researchers.

The REG One Network Road Classification page

The one-stop information shop for the One Network Road Classification . Contains ONRC implementation guidance, including ‘resilience’ requirements.

Lifelines

The site for lifeline utilities (entities that provide essential infrastructure services to the community such as water, wastewater, transport, energy and telecommunications). The page contains details of regional Lifelines groups.

Government Data Portal

The one-stop repository for official data , run by the Department of Internal Affairs.

The Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 resilient cities

100 resilient cities - dedicated to helping cities around the world become more resilient to the physical, social and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century. Features Wellington.

For further information contact  resilience-infrastructureplanning@nzta.govt.nz .

“An arborist completed a trial excavation alongside the kowhai trees, which shows that they are very unlikely to be successfully relocated in another place, which was the preference,” says Phil Dowsett, Transport Agency Senior Project Manager. The ground in the area is sandy and gravelly so the root balls of the trees will not hold together to enable relocation. The trees will be replaced at a later date.

The relocation is necessary for the next stage of earthworks needed for the nearby new Kawarau Falls bridge and the shared walking and cycling track leading onto and off the existing historic bridge.

The historic turbine on the site has recently been relocated and is being stored off site.

The sapling kowhai tree planted to commemorate the turning of the first sod at the new bridge last year has also been safely relocated to avoid damage during this period of earthworks.  It will be replanted close to the same position when the earthworks are completed next year.

As a result, the drive may take a little longer than usual on State Highway 80, the Mount Cook Road, says Transport Agency Journey Manager Lee Wright.

The road will remain open during the two events however there will be short delays at single lane bridges and at the competitor turn-around points, where Stop/Go traffic control will be in place.

“Please be patient, take extra care near traffic managers and look out for runners, cyclists and their support crews,” says Ms Wright.

Saturday, 8 October:Aoraki Mount Cook Marathon, from the Hermitage to Glentanner and return.  Runners will be on the road from 8am to 2pm.  There are shorter races also during this period, which will have turn-around points at various locations along the highway.

Sunday, 9 October: Aoraki Mount Cook Classic Cycle Race, from the Hermitage out to the intersection with SH8 Tekapo-Twizel Highway and return.  Cyclists will be on the road from 8am to 2pm.

How to find out if your car is part of the Takata airbags recall

• The best way to check is by contacting an official dealer for the make of your vehicle.

• You can also check the government’s recalls website . 

What to do if your car is part of the recall

• The vehicle manufacturer will contact you about bringing your car in for replacement airbags to be installed.

• If you have any concerns about the recall in the meantime, contact an official dealer for the make of your vehicle.

• Please note that if your car is part of the recall and was imported into New Zealand from Japan in 2015 or 2016, you should have the front passenger airbag checked as soon as possible. Information on this follows below.

The Takata airbags global recall could affect up to 100 million vehicles worldwide, across around 12 different vehicle manufacturers, so there are delays while replacement airbags are manufactured and replaced to appropriate standards. Many countries are facing this issue.

 It’s important to note that recalls happen when there is a potential fault. Only a small percentage of the potentially faulty airbags are likely to malfunction in a crash. However, vehicle owners should act on recall notices to remove the risk, and contact an official dealer if concerned.

 Our advice, and the advice from manufacturers, is that cars under this recall are safe to drive.

How to find out if your car may potentially have had its front passenger airbag disabled

1. Confirm it was part of the Takata airbags recall (see above for how), and

2. If it was imported from Japan, confirm when it was imported into New Zealand. The easiest way to do this is to check the date it was first registered in New Zealand. You can find this on the vehicle licence (rego) label on the windscreen – see the diagram below. You’re looking for this to end in /15 or /16. 
   
   

What to do if you’re concerned about potentially disabled front passenger airbags

As above, note this applies if your car is part of the Takata airbags recall and was imported into New Zealand from Japan in 2015 or 2016.

• Contact an official dealer for the make of your vehicle for advice on how to get your vehicle checked.

• As an additional check to see if your car is affected, you can also search your licence plate at the Rightcar website to see if a note has been added about a disabled airbag. As we receive information from manufacturers where they have been able to identify which cars had airbags disconnected in Japan, we will add this information to individual vehicle records. (Note that because of the lack of information available from some manufacturers, not all cars with disabled airbags will have a note added to their Rightcar entry.)

• You can also contact the Transport Agency for assistance on 0800 108 809, from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

We have issued a media release about this and put together more detailed questions and answers– we will update these as more information becomes available. We are working with vehicle manufacturers and their representatives, and importers’ representatives, to gather information.

If you have any further concerns

The best contact is an official dealer for the make of your vehicle. 

However, you can also contact the Transport Agency on 0800 108 809, from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Emergency services are on site and Police have temporary traffic management in place.

Motorists are advised to delay travel if possible as  it may take some time clear the backlog of traffic. We appreciate motorists’ patience until the road can fully open again.

Southbound traffic is currently being diverted over Paekakariki Hill Road, but this route is not suitable for heavy vehicles.

As the situation changes, motorists can get updates on State Highway 1 traffic conditions via

• NZTA Wellington Twitter
• NZTA Wellington Facebook
• Transport For Wellington
• 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)