“Huarahi Tūhono – Route 52 Upgrade Project” is a finalist for the 2025 Āpōpō Asset Management Excellence Awards.

Four years after starting as a ‘shovel ready’ project after Covid-19, the Huarahi Tūhono – Route 52 Upgrade has fortified a vital section of road between Weber and Wimbledon in Tararua District. Withstanding Cyclone Gabrielle partway through construction, the upgrade has made this lifeline route safer and more resilient, making a meaningful difference for Tararua District’s rural and coastal communities.

All involved: Tararua District Council, Tararua Alliance and Downer

The Huarahi Tūhono – Route 52 Upgrade has enhanced the safety and resilience of the road between Weber and Wimbledon, strengthening this lifeline route for rural and coastal communities. Tararua District Council secured $14.6 million from the Provincial Growth Fund in 2020, which increased by $2 million for storm damage.

The project has transformed a treacherous 26km stretch of road, creating work for local people using local materials. Tararua Alliance – a partnership between the Council and Downer – delivered the project through three cyclones and 10 storms, including Cyclone Gabrielle.

Route 52, previously State Highway 52, runs from Waipukurau to Masterton and was constructed in the 1860s with horse and cart; the road has a long history of being a hazardous route. The upgrade of the Weber to Wimbledon section has protected access for the communities of Ākitio, Herbertville and Pongaroa, and provided certainty for farming, forestry and tourism.