Major works on the main western entrance to the district are underway, bringing road closures, detours and interruptions to usual travel.
The existing pavement (underlying road structure) at three sites within the Rangitāiki Plains area has reached the end of its life and is in poor condition with significant cracking and defects.
- Road renewal works began on Thornton Road in October 2024 and are now compelted.
- West Bank Road 'north' (between Thornton Road and Greig Road), is currently closed to everyone other than residents and businesses. The works are nearing completion and this area of West Bank Road will reopen on Friday 13 December. View the road closure map - (PDF, 170 KB)
- Works have commenced on West Bank Road 'south' (between Gow Road and property number 504 West Bank Road) under a stop/go operation. West Bank Road 'south' will close early January until February 2025.
Read the media releases below:
Thornton Road to re-open ahead of schedule
Road renewal works on the main western entrance to Whakatāne District are nearing completion, and Thornton Road will open to all motorists from this Sunday morning (10 November) - over a month ahead of schedule.
Northern section of West Bank Road closed from Monday
As part of ongoing road improvements across the Rangitāiki Plains, motorists are reminded the northern section of West Bank Road, between Thornton Road and Greig Road, will close this Monday, November 4, 2024.
Road closure speeds up Thornton Road progress
A major road closure on Thornton Road has allowed Whakatāne District Council to refine the expected timeframes for improvement works underway on the district’s main western entrance.
Road renewal works to a large portion of Thornton Road are progressing well, and Dave Wathall, Team Leader Capital Projects says implementing a full (residents only) road closure has positively impacted project timeframes.
Thornton and West Bank roads to close for improvement works - UPDATE
Following the media release issued Friday, 4 October 2024, ‘Thornton and West Bank roads to close for improvement works’ the planned programme of works has been revised.
This change primarily relates to the start date for works on West Bank Road ‘North’ - now commencing following Labour Weekend.
Thornton and West Bank roads to close for improvement works
Rural Whakatāne communities, regular visitors, and those travelling around the district, are advised major works on the main western entrance to the district will be underway soon, bringing detours and interruptions to normal travel.
Renewal works to the pavement (underlying road structure) will begin on three sites within the Rangitāiki Plains area from Monday, 14 October 2024. The work will initially focus on a section of Thornton Road and a section of West Bank Road ‘North’.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What’s happening?
Major works on the main western entrance to the district will be underway soon, bringing road closures, detours and interruptions to normal travel as we undertake pavement rehabilitation on three sites within the Rangitāiki Plains area during the 2024/25 construction season.
- What are you doing?
Road pavement (underlying road structure) reconstruction works.
- What does ‘pavement rehabilitation’ mean?
‘Pavement rehabilitation’ means rebuilding the existing road surface and underlying road structure (pavement). The pavement is removed and replaced with new materials. Sometimes the old material is able to be recycled.
- Where and when are you doing this?
These road works will occur on three sites within the Rangitāiki Plains area.
The work will initially focus on a section of Thornton Road and a section of West Bank Road ‘North’. Thornton Road (between the intersection of West Bank / Thornton Beach Road and Greig Road), and West Bank Road ‘North’ (between Thornton Road and Greig Road) will be closed at the same time.
The second portion of West Bank Road (West Bank ‘South’) will commence under a road closure in early January 2025. This section of West Bank Road will be closed between Gow Road and property number 504 West Bank Road.- Thornton Road (between the intersection of West Bank / Thornton Beach Road and Greig Road) will be open to residents only from 14 Oct 2024 – 13 Dec 2024. The work site is between property numbers 880-954 Thornton Road. This section of road will be CLOSED to all other traffic during this time.
- West Bank ‘North’ (between Thornton Road and Greig Road) will be open to residents only from 14 Oct 2024 – 13 Dec 2024. The work site is from the Thornton Road intersection up to 98 West Bank Road. This section of road will be CLOSED to all other traffic during this time.
- West Bank ‘South’ (between Gow Road and property number 504 West Bank Road) will be open to residents only from Mid-Jan 2025 – March 2025. This section of road will be CLOSED to all other traffic during this time (we will advise on confirmed dates in near future).
- Thornton Road (between the intersection of West Bank / Thornton Beach Road and Greig Road) will be open to residents only from 14 Oct 2024 – 13 Dec 2024. The work site is between property numbers 880-954 Thornton Road. This section of road will be CLOSED to all other traffic during this time.
- Why are you doing this?
Roads deteriorate over time and the existing pavement (underlying road structure) at all three sites has reached the end of its life and is in poor condition with significant cracking and defects. These incur high maintenance costs. These works will also improve the overall standard and safety of the Whakatāne District roading network, while reducing the burden of on-going costs associated with maintenance work in these areas.
- I'm a nearby landowner. How will these works affect me?
Landowners near the worksites may experience access and dust issues. However, all residential and/or businesses traffic will be able to access their properties at all times. Please let a member of the Waiotahi Contractors team know and they will assist you with access in/out of the work site when safe to do so. Access on the closed roads will also be maintained at all times for emergencies and school buses.
- Why are you closing the roads?
Completing these works under road closures, as opposed to stop/go, or temporary traffic lights, will reduce the use of resources and reduce construction time, while ensuring a safer working environment for contractors and staff. It’s estimated this will achieve an overall cost saving of between 10%-15%, and a time saving of up to 20%. This means the temporary impacts of this work will be much less than if the road remained open.
- What impacts will this work have?
Major closures will occur on both Thornton Road and West Bank Road, with detours in place to ensure safety and efficiency. The wider community, commuters and visitors will be required to take an alternative route (see 'detours' FAQ). These detours will lead to additional traffic making use of SH2 between Matatā and Awakeri, as well as SH30 between Awakeri and Whakatāne. Access on the closed roads will be maintained at all times for residents and businesses within the work site, emergencies, and school buses.
- What detours will be in place?
- Motorists travelling along Thornton Road, going in a westerly direction, are to turn off at East Bank Road and travel to SH2, then Edgecumbe, making their way to their planned destination.
- Motorists travelling along Thornton Road, going in an easterly direction, are to turn off at Greig Road (under a reduced speed limit) and travel to West Bank Road, then Edgecumbe, making their way to their planned destination.
- Motorists travelling from Whakatāne to Tauranga are to make use of SH30 and SH2.
- Motorists travelling from Tauranga to Whakatāne are to make use of SH2 and SH30.
These detours will lead to additional traffic making use of the state highway network and there may be approximately five minutes added to your usual travel time
- The intersection of Thornton Road and East Bank Road needs improvement. Why are you not doing this at the same time?
These works are being undertaken as part of our road maintenance programme to keep our roads free of potholes and other defects. While we are aware of safety concerns at the East Bank Road / Thornton Road intersection, any safety improvements would be part of a separate funding stream and prioritisation process and need to be planned and budgeted through Council and Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency. Funding for safety improvements have been de-prioritised by central government however Council staff are looking at short-term, low-cost safety improvements that can be implemented within Councils limited budgets.
- How do I stay informed about this project?
We encourage you to keep an eye on this webpage and our Facebook and Instagram pages for regular updates. Directly affected residents will continue to recieve letters as the project progresses.