Roadworks
- Night-time resurfacing of Invercargill’s central city streets begins on 12 January 2024.
- Works will involve 8,500 tonnes of asphalt across key state highways and streets.
- Roads will reopen during the day with detours and speed limits as needed.
Roadworks to resurface Invercargill’s central city streets will begin on 12 January 2024, following a slight delay from the original 5 January start date. The project, managed by Highway South on behalf of the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), will refresh key sections of State Highways 1 and 6, covering Dee, Tay, and Clyde Streets, with completion expected by late February or early March 2024.
Related: Milton Roadworks Bring Detours And Delays
“We acknowledge people will be sick of road works but if people can bear with us, the end result will be so worth it,” said a spokesperson for the project.
The resurfacing aims to improve road conditions significantly, starting from Conon Street and progressing to Spey Street. Crews will also carry out isolated pavement strengthening and infrastructure upgrades, including repairs to footpaths and the installation of water and stormwater pipes.
Work will take place from Sunday to Thursday nights, between 6 pm and 6 am, minimising disruptions to businesses and daytime traffic. Affected roads will be closed to vehicles during these hours, with detours clearly marked. During the day, roads will reopen, but temporary speed limits may apply.
The project will use 8,500 tonnes of asphalt, equivalent to the weight of 120 million cheese rolls. Some delays in recent years were necessary to accommodate major developments like the Invercargill Central redevelopment and the Langlands Hotel construction.
“We needed to get this done over the summer period when we have a good stretch of weather, so there’s as little disruption as possible,” added the spokesperson.
To ensure efficiency and safety, NZTA is coordinating efforts with the Invercargill City Council and contractors. The carefully planned approach aims to avoid long-term disruptions by addressing multiple infrastructure needs at once.
Locals can expect some noise during the milling phase as heavy machinery is used. Each stage of the project is estimated to take around 10 weeks, depending on weather conditions. The works will pause temporarily for the Burt Munro Rally in early February.
Drivers are encouraged to follow all signage and traffic management directions to ensure safety. NZTA also urges locals to continue supporting central city businesses during the works..
The work was programmed to avoid the peak Christmas period and avoid working while the Burt Munro Challenge is taking place (5-8 February 2025).
Pedestrians will still have access at all times. There may be restrictions to pedestrian crossings while each section of work is underway, and businesses can still be accessed.