As State Highway 2 recovery work nears completion in and around Devil’s Elbow, a stretch of the road will close overnight later this year for culvert (large pipe) repairs.

The work will be carried out nightly, over a 3-week period, from Sunday 16 November to Friday 5 December, on SH2 between Waikoau Hill and Aropaoanui Road at Tangoio.

The road will be closed in both directions during that time from 9pm to 5am Sunday to Thursday nights (five nights each week, reopening 5am Friday). The road will remain open Friday and Saturday nights.

There will be no viable detours, and people are asked to plan their journeys around the closures.

Emergency vehicles will be assisted through the closure as required.

There will be road closure signs at Tutira Store north of the closure and at Whirinaki. Vehicles, including HPMV, will be able to turnaround at the closure points at Pan Pac Whirinaki (Napier side) and Mitchell Road (Wairoa side). 

The work

During the closure period, work will be carried out to replace approximately 10 culverts and repair others to help better manage stormwater runoff.

Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) is carrying out the work, on behalf of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

TREC project manager Richard Bayley says the culverts were damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle.

“Keeping water away from the road is one of the most important ways we can boost the resilience of our state highway network. These new and repaired culverts will do that.

“Full closures are required because crews and machinery will be working across both lanes of the road to complete resilience works and rebuilds. The narrow nature of this section of highway means traffic can’t safely travel around these worksites. By doing this work at night, we can minimise the disruption as much as possible.

The final push on SH2

As crews get ready to install and repair culverts, other work continues on SH2. Nightworks will be underway on Devil’s Elbow from 12 October for 3 weeks to repair culvert inlets and will be down to one lane in the sections we’re working on – expect a delay of 5-10 minutes.

Other work includes:

• Continuing to build the 12m high MSE (mechanically stabilized earth) wall at Devil’s Corner – Project I
• Repairing 2 underslips at Lake Tūtira underway until November
• Repairing an underslip and drainage at White Pine Bush from mid-October until late November
• Clearing culverts at Waikare Gorge until mid-October 
• Resealing at Waikoau Hill and White Pine Bush

In addition to this work, crews will also use the upcoming closures in November and December to deliver road rebuilds at Sandy Creek, Tangoio Falls and Te Ngarue. The existing road surface and underlying road structure (pavement) will be removed and replaced with new materials.

 “The end is in sight; it’s been a long time coming and we truly do appreciate the support we’ve received over the years from all road users and local communities. This is the final push towards a more resilient and ultimately safer journey for all,” says Mr Bayley.

“Our crews will return in January (between 18 and 30 January), once the culvert repairs have settled, to rebuild the entire stretch of SH2 through Devil’s Elbow. Asphalting this area will be the final piece of the puzzle, providing a smoother road for travellers and a more resilient road too,” says Mr Bayley.

More information on the January closures will be communicated closer to the time.

This work is contingent on the weather. Contingency nights are Sunday 7 December to Thursday 11 December (5 nights), 9pm to 5am each night for the November-December works.

The contingency nights for the January closures are Sunday 1 February to Wednesday 4 February (4 nights), 9pm to 5am each night.  

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1 October 2025

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