State Highway 1’s Desert Road in New Zealand’s central North Island will reopen on Friday, March 14, after being closed for two months for major repairs.
The road, which connects Tūrangi and Waiouru, had been shut since mid-January, requiring travellers to take a 40-minute detour. Road workers have rebuilt and repaired 28 lane kilometres—12 more than originally planned—and replaced the deck of the Mangatoetoenui Bridge.
The transport agency explained that closing the road completely allowed for faster, more effective construction methods. The work is part of New Zealand’s largest road maintenance project, the Tīrau to Waiouru maintenance program. Before the repairs, this section of SH1 was considered one of the worst in Waikato and among the hardest to fix.
The road will reopen at 1 p.m. with traffic management and speed restrictions in place for several days. More work on the road surface will be done later in the year, mostly at night.
While the closure surprised some local leaders and increased freight costs, many supported the decision, saying the road needed urgent repairs. Businesses in towns like Ohakune and Taumarunui saw a boost as traffic was diverted through their communities.
