NZTA’s RCA Temporary Traffic Management Centre

From 1 September 2025, NZTA will run a 12-month proof of concept trial to centralise approval and coordination of state highway Traffic Management Plans (TMPs). The aim is to ensure the risk-based TTM approach is applied consistently across the state highway network, and that appropriate risk assessments are completed and appropriate risk controls are adopted through TMPs to manage the risks at each worksite.

NZTA’s new RCA Temporary Traffic Management Centre (RTTMC) covers all state highways in New Zealand except the following areas, which are managed directly by local network alliances or Public Private Partnerships: 

·       Auckland System Management (ASM)  

·       Pūhoi to Warkworth Motorway (Public Private Partnership) 

·       Wellington Transport Alliance (WTA) - including the Transmission Gully motorway section.

The RTTMC will be based at the Auckland Traffic Operations Centre. It will be a centre of excellence for the traffic management risk review and approval process for the majority of the state highway network.

This requires changes to the scope of delegated authorities for NZTA Traffic Management Coordinator (TMC) roles within our current Network Outcome Contracts (NOCs), to the RCA being NZTA. The TMC role name will also be changed to RCA Traffic Coordinator (RTC).

Centralising these roles enables extra resourcing should volumes of TMP’s being submitted increase significantly at peak periods (i.e.: before renewal season).

The proof of concept trial also aligns with NZTAs direction for road maintenance, which is seeing a number of outsourced functions brought back in house over the next 12 months through the Integrated Delivery Model programme.

TTM-ISG recently facilitated a meeting involving NZTA and independent supplier representatives.  

Coming from the meeting, NZTA has committed to making quarterly updates on the progress of the trial and communicate progress and feedback to the sector which may help further streamline TMC submissions and potentially provide guidance on optimising risk assessments. 

The RTTMC has published contact details for escalating and liaising on specific projects and has an urgent and after-hours support for Traffic Management. In addition to this, the TTM-ISG has developed an online form to collect more general feedback from suppliers that can be relayed to help shape the future operation of the RTTMC.

To find out more about RTTMC and the new process that will apply when working or conducting any activity on state highways visit the NZTA website: www.nzta.govt.nz/roads-and-rail/accessing-our-state-highways