Seaforth Road Renewal and Stormwater Improvements

Where: Waihī Beach Bowentown Boating & Fishing Club (restaurant area), Pio Road

Overall project timing

• Start: September 2026
• Completion: Expected by June 2027
• Work hours: 7.00am and 6.00pm, Mondays to Saturdays (inclusive)
• Construction will pause over the peak holiday period from Christmas and will resume after Waitangi weekend on 9 February 2027.
• Timing may change depending on weather conditions.

What’s happening?

Works will involve:

• Shaping of the western road berm to form a shallow swale
• New stormwater collection points and piping
• New kerb and channel and outlets.
• Excavating and rebuilding the road structure in layers
• Rebuilding accessways and underlying culverts
• Laying new chipseal
• Applying road markings.

What’s not changing:

• The row of trees between the slip lanes and main road will not be removed as part of this work.
• The slip roads will remain in the same arrangement as they are currently.
• The centre line will remain in the same location (the road will not be centred within the Council road reserve).
• There are no plans for a new footpath, as funding was not available for this.

Why are we doing the road renewal and upgrading the stormwater and drainage systems at the same time?

We know stormwater management in the Bowentown/Pio Shores area is a concern for many in the community. Doing both sets of work simultaneously means we can strengthen the road and minimise future disruption by putting in place the stormwater and drainage infrastructure now. The new systems will be able to support future planned network upgrades aimed at improving how water is managed during heavy rain. It simply means we won’t need to dig up the new road later down the track when further network upgrades are rolled out. Done together, we can deliver to the community a more comprehensive project that better meets community needs and long-term roading and stormwater goals.

What to expect during construction

The contract for the Seaforth Road renewal and stormwater improvements has been awarded to J Swap Contractors. The team will work to minimise disruption to the community as much as is reasonably possible. We’ll be sharing more detail on what to expect closer to construction starting.

In general, residents can expect:

• Single-lane stop/go traffic management
• Delays on Seaforth Road, particularly during peak periods
• Construction vehicles and work crews operating throughout the day
• Periods of noise and vibration, particularly during excavation.

We’re advising the community to please plan ahead and allow extra travel time while the works are ongoing.

Driveway access

For residents living on Seaforth Road in Bowentown, vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible during the day using temporary ramps. Temporary driveway closures will be required at times when driveways are rebuilt. The contractor will contact you before any work that directly affects your access.

Need more information?

For roading project-related questions, you can contact:

Jamie Minchington – Senior Project Engineer, Western Bay of Plenty District Council
Phone: 0800 926 732
Email: transportation@westernbay.govt.nz

For stormwater project-related questions, you can contact:

Richard Myers - Team Lead Capital Projects, Western Bay of Plenty District Council

Phone: 0800 926 732

Email: Waihi.Beach@westernbay.govt.nz

If you have any questions relating to property access or traffic management, please contact J Swap directly:

Sean Paterson — Project Engineer, J Swap

Phone: 0800 807 927

Email: sean.paterson@jswap.co.nz