What's been happening this week?

Firstly, we know many people across Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai / Lower Hutt are still dealing with the impacts of the severe weather from the beginning of the week.

Please take care when you’re out and about, as there is still debris around. If you come across debris or fallen trees in public spaces, let Hutt City Council know by calling 0800 488 824 or reporting it online at hutt.city/CRM

For all electricity-related issues (such as downed lines), please contact Wellington Electricity on 0800 248 148.

To support residents as they get stuck into the clean-up, Hutt City Council have waived fees for clean green waste at Silverstream Landfill until 6pm Sunday 22 February. Read more about this here.

This week a temporary bi-directional cycle path has been installed on the northbound lane on Rutherford St, (from the existing pedestrian crossing near the Woolworth’s car park), north past Harvey Norman, connecting to the Melling Link Bridge pathway and the underpass. This means the shared path from the underpass, behind Harvey Norman to the Riverbank car park is now CLOSED. Signs (including the map below) have been installed throughout the area.

Other achievements include commencing piling works on the western side of the river, and a continuation of service relocations, ground improvement activities and environmental works.

What’s happening next week?

Short-term activities that might impact your travel next week include:

Wellington Electricity are relocating cables in the following locations (note all of these works are being undertaken during the day due to their proximity to residential properties):

• ongoing until mid-March, Connolly St (southbound), progressing towards Rutherford St
• ongoing until early March, Rutherford St works continue between Melling Link roundabout and Melling Rd/Connolly St roundabout​
• ongoing until end of February, Dudley St will be reduced to a single lane (temporarily removing car parking). Note, at times, a full road closure will be in place for a short time
• ongoing until end of February, Andrews Ave is closed
• ongoing until end of February, Queens Dr/High St roundabout (southern end of town near City Fitness / the Sebel Hotel) works will CLOSE both northbound lanes from this roundabout up to the slip lane for Laings Rd (near House of Spices), and drivers should divert on to Daly St/High St, or Woburn Rd/ Myrtle St. For Metlink bus detour information, please visit: www.metlink.org.nz/detours-and-updates
• ongoing until end of February, Ewen Bridge on ramp from Marsden, a single lane across the bridge into the city, and the lane off the bridge into the city are CLOSED (including part of the car park on Ward St). Drivers from Petone, either change your route and use Hutt Rd/Railway Ave to access Lower Hutt, or travel under Railway Ave, onto Marsden St, and then turn left on to Railway Ave from Aglionby, Herbert or Parliament Sts. Buses are being diverted via Herbert St. Some parking has been removed in this area. Pedestrians and cyclists, footpaths on both sides of Ewen Bridge remain open.

To find out more about the progress of the Wellington Electricity works, please visit https://www.welectricity.co.nz/major-projects/teawakairangi

The short term and long term closures are represented on the map below (traffic lights and bollards respectively). The map also includes the paths currently open for pedestrians and cyclists.

Long-term closures

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

• Queens Drive is CLOSED between Rutherford St and High St 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
• 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 Station including the car park and the Melling Park & Ride facilities are CLOSED. The train now begins and ends at Western Hutt, with extra parking available at Petone Station. For other travel options visit: www.metlink.org.nz/mellingstation
• Pharazyn Street is CLOSED from near Marsden Street to Block Road until approximately 2029
• Block Road and the pedestrian crossing from Tirohanga Rd over SH2 to Block Rd are permanently CLOSED.

Friendly reminder:

From 2 March until December 2026 (9 months), the intersection between Queens Dr and High St will be CLOSED while we convert the existing roundabout to a traffic lighted intersection and prepare the area for increased traffic.

Businesses will remain accessible and pedestrians will still be able to move through the area. Some on-street parking outside of McDonald’s and 330 High St is being removed. The bus stops outside Burger King and Armstrong’s Nissan Lower Hutt on High St are being temporarily relocated to Cornwall St, and buses re-routed.

Look out for a more detailed reminder on this next week on Facebook and our website.

Upcoming local events

The team will be at the Riverbank Market tomorrow (21 February).

We attend the Riverbank Market every third Saturday of the month, and will continue to support other local community events; 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.

Other upcoming local events this month:

• Night Market – Food trucks in Dowse Square every Thursday
• Wainui Enduro – MTB races at Waiu Park, 21–22 February
• Petone Rotary Fair – Jackson St, 21 February
• Karaoke on the Lawn – Riddiford Garden, 22 February
• NZ Men’s Evergreens Softball – Fraser Park, 27–28 February

Thank you

We know that our works and others across the region are affecting daily travel times, and we appreciate that not everyone has the option to change how they move around (train / bike). Please factor in delays before you travel and give yourself extra time.

Unfortunately, some delays and disruption are unavoidable with a programme of this scale. Please know we hear and appreciate your feedback, and as a programme are working together and with other service providers towards better solutions as traffic patterns adjust. 

We also know frustration can build when delays are significant, but we’re asking everyone to take extra care, remember to merge like a zip, not block intersections, and adhere to the traffic light signals — it helps keep all of us; pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers safe.

Thank you for your support, patience and for travelling through our project area with care. 

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
• like us on Facebook
• send us an email
• subscribe to our monthly newsletter