It’s been a busy start to 2026 with city-wide Wellington Electricity works, the Rutherford Street roundabout coming out, more underground services uncovered, ground improvement work continuing, and environmental protections in place for the awa.

Disruptions will continue — so please plan ahead and think about alternative ways to travel (e.g. bus or train). We thank you for your support and patience as we complete this work.

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Ongoing works update

Western zone update

Enabling works for interchange

If you're travelling along State Highway 2, you'll have a good view of the western project area, especially of the works along Pharazyn Street, where we’re using around 40,000 cubic metres of fill to help compress the ground ahead of piling work.

Similar work is under way north of Block Road, where we’re preparing the area ahead of starting to build the southbound offramp for the new interchange.

Check out this video with our site manager Richard who explains all the work going on in the western zone.

Eastern zone works update

Enabling works for road improvements

On the city side of the river, we’ve removed the Rutherford Street/Queens Drive roundabout in preparation for work starting in this area.

We’re also relocating services in the northern end of the Riverbank car park. In March we’ll close the Queens Drive–High Street intersection to replace the roundabout with a new traffic light intersection (more on this below).

Watch this video with our site manager Shane taking you through everything happening in the eastern zone.

Daly Street building demolition

We continue with our preparations to demolish buildings at 4 and 5 Daly Street.

The service lane and some car parks on the southbound side of the street remain temporarily closed. This is to ensure the area remains safe as asbestos removal work progresses.

We are working closely with those businesses who use the service lane to ensure their needs are met while this is being done.

Safety remains our top priority and all work is carried out under strict safety and environmental standards. Fencing is in place to guide pedestrians and cyclists around the immediate worksite.  

These buildings and those at the south end of High Street will be demolished in the first half of this year. This is to make way for a new stop bank alongside Daly Street which will provide the next stage of flood protection resilience along Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River.

Cable relocation continues

Relocation of underground electricity cables by Wellington Electricity continues.  From Sunday 25 January 2026 you can expect temporary road and lane closures affecting Rutherford Street and Ewen Bridge. These closures are needed so Wellington Electricity contractors can carry out the work safely.  

As with any roadworks things may change, below is what we are anticipating: 

Rutherford Street (overnight only):

• closed between Queens Drive and Melling Link
• 7pm – 5.30am, starting Sunday 25 January 
• the overnight closure is expected to be in place for up to 15 nights 
• please follow the signposted detours 
• Rutherford Street will reopen each day outside of these hours. 

Ewen Bridge (from Monday 26 January):

• please be aware the Ewen Bridge on-ramp at the intersection with Marsden Street may need to close at certain times  throughout January, February and into March. 
• one lane across the bridge (west to east) will also be closed 
• these closures are likely to occur until work is completed. 

What this means for commuters:

• expect delays on and around the Ewen Bridge, particularly during weekday peak times, so allow extra time for your journey 
• some bus routes will be impacted meaning delays are likely for public transport users – Metlink website will keep you up to date 
• west-to-east travel across the bridge will have reduced capacity 
• if you’re using the Ewen Bridge on ramp (normally accessible from Marsden and Victoria streets)  you will need to follow signposted detours  
• if possible, consider travelling outside peak times or allow extra travel time. 

Parking:

• temporary parking restrictions will be in place on nearby streets to support the works and keep the area safe 

More detailed information, including maps of the area, is provided on the Wellington Electricity website. Thank you for your patience while this essential work is carried out. 

More changes coming soon on Queens Drive / High Street

From 2 March – December 2026, the existing roundabout at Queens Drive/High Street is being removed and replaced with an intersection controlled by traffic lights. This will prepare the area for increased traffic volumes when Queens Drive connects the CBD to the new interchange and bridge.

Access to businesses and residences will be maintained at all times and pedestrians will still be able to move around the area, as highlighted by the dashed red lines on the map below. Some parking outside of McDonald’s and 330 High St will need to be removed. The bus stops outside Burger King/Armstrong’s on High Street are being temporarily relocated to Cornwall Street. Metlink will share more information on this soon.

This change is one of the most disruptive we’ll have to make during the construction of the interchange and bridge. We’re acutely aware of not only the impact it’ll have on how people move around the area, but of the cumulative impact of all the work going on around the Melling area and CBD.

The only other way we could make the necessary changes to the intersection would involve a much longer programme of work.

During this time, we'll be relocating major underground services (power, water, gas, fibre), installing new drainage and stormwater systems, building new footpaths and traffic islands, adding road markings, installing traffic lights to replace the roundabout, and updating signage for the new layout.

Other updates and reminders

Long-term road closures reminder

Please remember the following long-term road closures are in place:

• Queens Drive is CLOSED between Rutherford and High streets until approximately 2029
• the northern section of the Riverbank car park is permanently CLOSED to vehicles and pedestrians. Pedestrians and cyclists, please use the alternative paths as marked on the signage
• parts of the Hutt River Trail on the western side of the river (from ~800m south of Kennedy Good Bridge to 500m north of Ewen Bridge) is CLOSED, please use the path on the eastern (city) side of the river
• Melling train station including the car park and the Melling Park & Ride facilities are now CLOSED. 
• Pharazyn Street is CLOSED from near Marsden Street to Block Road until approximately 2029
• Block Road and the pedestrian crossing from Tirohanga Road over the state highway are permanently CLOSED. Please note there is also a minor temporary footpath diversion in place between Melling Bridge and the pedestrian crossing over the state highway to Harbour View Road.

Swim safe to stay safe

There’s lots of work happening along Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River at the moment. As a result, some parts of the awa (river) as it passes through the city, are fenced or cordoned off.

This is to ensure everyone is kept safe while work is underway.

Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River is a favourite spot for swimming, paddling and fishing. We all need to stick to the open areas and avoid the fenced-off zones. Barriers aren’t there to spoil the fun, they’re there to keep you out of harm’s way.

Work areas and kindness to our crews

As worksites expand and construction ramps up, we want to remind everyone to keep out of construction zones.

We’ve already had several incidents where road workers have been abused, and in one case physically assaulted while they’re just trying to do their job.

We’ve also had numerous moments where people have moved fences, ignored safety signage, and in some instances, walked or biked straight past our staff and into construction areas. This includes one close call when a person entered a fenced zone where an excavator was operating.

The last thing we want is an injury or worse while we’re working on this transformation project for Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai/Lower Hutt.

We fully appreciate the loss of recreational space and the changes to access where we’re building the new interchange and river bridge. But we ask that you respect these restrictions and any directions given by our crews on site.

Block Road sign sparks joy for local family

While the closure of Block Road has meant many people have had to change the way they get around this part of Lower Hutt, for one local, it’s come with an unexpected benefit. 

Block Road was permanently closed in early January, to make room for the new SH2 interchange at Melling and bridge over Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River, being built as part of Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi.

Amy Block says her family has long coveted the Block Road sign – which is no longer needed now the road’s closed and construction in the area has ramped up. 

“As a family, we always used to joke about one day getting hold of it, but up until now it’s obviously been needed…so we’re stoked the project was able to make it happen!”

So what’s the future of the sign?

“Oh, we’ll probably hang it in the garage or something – somewhere we can get a laugh out of it each time.” 

One thing’s for sure: that green sign’s going to spark joy for years to come.

Riverbank Market is back

After a brief Christmas break, the Saturday Riverbank Market has returned, now in a slightly more southern spot in the Riverbank car park. Thanks to everyone for your patience as stallholders and visitors get used to the new access from the southern end.

Looking ahead to the full closure of the Riverbank car park, we're working with the market operator to prepare for the next stage. This includes preparing for the market's future location (pictured above), with a resource consent application underway for the Dowse Square and Civic Precinct area later this year.

We'll share more details once timings are confirmed. In the meantime, we're focused on supporting a transition that keeps the market central, keeps it Saturday, and keeps it whole.

More information about the Riverbank market is available on the Hutt City Council website.

Local events you'll catch us at

It was great to chat with some of you this last weekend at the Riverbank market. We’ll continue to be out and about at community events over the coming weeks, so if you see us, come over and say hello. It’s a great chance to ask questions, share feedback, or just have a chat about what’s happening in your neighbourhood.

We’ll be at Te Rā o te Raukura in Te Whiti Park this weekend (31 January). You’ll also find us at the Petone Rotary Fair on 21 February. We’d love to see you there.

New year, new job?

If you’re thinking about a change in 2026, there are opportunities to be part of Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi as we head into a big year of construction. Roles are available across the Alliance and our partner organisations.

Current opportunities include:

• Finance Manager
• Foreperson – Retaining Walls
• Environmental Advisor (closing soon)
• Senior Surveyor (closing soon)

Tip: Set up a custom SEEK search using “Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi” to be the first to hear when new roles are advertised.

More information

Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi includes the SH2 Melling Transport Improvements, crucial flood protection and river restoration work, and city centre infrastructure upgrades.

It is a partnership between Greater Wellington, Hutt City Council, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika and Ngāti Toa Rangatira.

You can find out more about current work that's underway here.

Otherwise for more information on the projects that make up this transformational programme of work, please:

• visit our website
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• send us an email
• subcribe to our monthly newsletter