State Highway 1 between Tūrangi and Waiouru – the Desert Road – will be shut for around two months for repairs. 

A New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) spokesperson said it was one of the most challenging sections of a “huge maintenance programme” along SH1 from Tīrau to Waiouru. 

“The alpine environment and potential for a cold snap mean we need to do this closure in the peak summer months,” the spokesperson said. “We need a minimum ground temperature of 13C to carry out pavement works.” 

“While the road is closed, we’ll be rebuilding or repairing almost 16 lane kilometres and replacing the deck on the Mangatoetoenui Bridge, which is around 23km south of Rangipo.” 

The road will be closed from January 6 until the end of February. Dave Hoskin Transport manager Darrell Hoskin said he was surprised by NZTA’s announcement. 

“A lot of the yards and swaps are done in Taupō, so transport companies will be stuck with an hour to an hour and a half of extra travel,” he said. “Obviously, that will also add to costs – diesel, wages and mileage.” 

The NZTA spokesperson said more information would be available when detours were finalised. From north to south, motorists would likely be detoured on SH41, SH47, SH4, SH49 and back to SH1, they said. That detour covers around 113km. Hoskin said there was no doubt the work needed to be done but “20 minutes worth of roadworks” may have been a better option than complete closure. 

“If [line haulers’] run is from Taupō to Wellington and back, which is what happens, they are essentially adding three hours to their day. 

“We want progress and we want the roads to be better than they are, I just wonder how they’ve come up with that sort of solution.” 

According to NZTA, four years’ worth of work on SH1 in the Central North Island – with Tūrangi to Waiouru the last part of it – will be completed in 16 months. Meanwhile, five projects on State Highway 4 Parapara Road between Whanganui and Raetihi are set to get funding from the Government’s $226 million Crown Resilience Programme, including rockfall near the YMCA’s Camp Ruakawa and a slip opposite Raupiu Rd. 

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.