Traffic delays are expected on State Highway 2 (SH2) during the two weeks from Saturday 12 April to repair an ageing wastewater pipe underneath the State Highway.

This work is regarded as critical and will be undertaken by Wellington Water to line a section of an aging wastewater pipe underneath SH2.

The work is anticipated to take place 24/7 for approximately two weeks from Saturday 12 April 2025, depending on weather conditions. This period coincides with school holidays, Easter and Anzac Day when traffic volumes are generally lower.

The work is important to prevent a failure of the pipeline, which could lead to significant environmental, traffic and public health impacts.

To ensure the safety of workers and road users, traffic management will be in place between Melling Link and Kennedy Good Bridge. One northbound lane will be closed and speed limits will be reduced.

To balance the traffic impacts on all lanes and local roads, one southbound lane will be converted into a northbound lane. This means there will be two northbound lanes towards Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt and one southbound lane towards Wellington city. This traffic layout has been chosen because morning peak traffic is more evenly spread out and there are more easily accessible alternative routes for the southbound travelling public. The layout and spacing of the intersections also makes managing southbound traffic queues easier.

Other key impacts to road users and residents in the Western Hills area would include the closure of Block Road to all traffic, with the exceptions of buses and emergency services, and no turn out of Tirohanga Road onto SH2.

More details will be shared about which parts of SH2 are likely to be most impacted when the traffic management plan is finalised.

Regular updates before and during the works will be provided on Wellington Water’s website and social media platforms.

Wellington Water acknowledges that the impact of these works can be disruptive and frustrating and wishes to assure the public that its staff are making every effort to minimise disruptions as much as possible.

Thank you for your patience while the work is being carried out and please remember to plan ahead for significant delays, especially during peak times.