On 16 February 2026 the HCC is starting construction of a new roundabout at the intersection of Morrinsville Road, Silverdale Road, and Matangi Road.
This is what we’re building
· A peanut shaped roundabout at the intersection of Morrinsville Road, Matangi Road, and Silverdale Road.
· A new signalised pedestrian crossing on Morrinsville Road, just southwest of Matangi Road
· A separated cycle lane, on the western side of Morrinsville Road, from Jansen Park to the new signalised pedestrian crossing.
· A shared walking and cycling path, on the western side of Morrinsville Road, between the new pedestrian crossing and East Ridge Grove.
· A shared path connecting Matangi Road to Morrinsville Road, created by widening the existing footpath.
Construction activities
· Construction starts Monday 16 February 2026 and will be completed by May/June 2026 (weather dependent).
· The hours of work are Monday to Friday, 7am-7pm. Some works maybe required on Saturdays to make up for weather delays.
· Construction is mainly on Morrinsville Road, but some works are required at the approaches to Silverdale Road and Matangi Road.
· We’re planning to close some roads so the roundabout can be built quickly. The road closures and detour routes are explained under “Road closures” below.
· There may be some localised dust, noise, and vibrations but we’ll do our best to keep this to a minimum.
Road closures
We’re closing some roads so the roundabout can be built quickly. These roads are listed below and shown in the attached map.
o Silverdale Road closed at Morrinsville Road (no entry/exit)
o Matangi Road closed at Morrinsville Road (no entry/exit)
o Morrinsville Road closed between East Ridge Grove and Jansen Park’s northeast edge (East Ridge Road stays open). U-turn facilities provided.
All these roads will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists. At times, the footpath won’t be sealed, but we’ll keep these to a minimum.
Why are the road closures required?
We looked at options to keep traffic moving through the construction site, but this would have meant:
· A stop/go system most of the time, with only one lane open during each ‘go’ phase – causing significant congestion and delays. At peak times, the delays could be greater than using detour routes.
· Extending construction and travel disruption by 5-6 months.
· Adding around $1million in extra costs.
· Lower quality pavement due to construction being completed in sections with multiple joins.
· Increased safety risks for workers and the public.
Why can’t we keep the Matangi Road slip lane open?
We investigated keeping the slip lane open, but that would:
· Significantly increase costs.
· Add 3-5 months to construction timeframes.
· Compromise pedestrian and cyclist access through the site.
Detour routes
The official detour routes are shown on the attached map. (See below) These are the recommended routes suitable for heavy vehicles, but people are welcome to plan their own journeys.
For more information on the road closures please refer to our FAQs at hamilton.govt.nz/morrinsvilleroad.
Why we’re doing this work
This upgrade will make the road safer and help it feel more like a local road, ready to be transferred from the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi to Hamilton City Council.
· Over the last 10 years, 70 crashes have been recorded between Cambridge Road the Waikato Expressway. 23 of these crashes were at the Silverdale/Matangi intersection, 1 was fatal.
· We publicly consulted on the roundabout design in early 2025, there was strong support.
· The improvements are 100% funded by the NZ Transport Agency.
Other project elements
The Morrinsville Fit for Purpose Upgrades also include other improvements.
Key points to note:
In March, we’ll update the community on the upgrades between the new peanut roundabout and Cambridge Road.
· Construction of the shared path from East Ridge Grove to the Waikato Expressway is planned from June to August 2026.
· Construction of a shared path from the Waikato Expressway through to the Ruakura Road/Lissette Road roundabout (in the Waikato District Council area) is planned for September to November 2026.
Further information
For more information visit hamilton.govt.nz/morrinsvilleroad.
