Roadworks are happening there to improve highway safety and to create safe access to the new shared path that will run from Dunedin to Port Chalmers.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has advised motorists who travel between Port Chalmers and Dunedin to allow an extra five minutes for their journeys until the city-bound lane is reopened.
The highway is to be one-way 24/7 through St Leonards for the rest of this week.
After that, two lanes would be available at nights and at weekends, and the highway would otherwise be reduced to one lane while work continued in the area until mid or late March, Waka Kotahi said.
Senior project manager Jason Forbes said the road's city-bound lane would be moved towards the harbour, providing space for both a right-turn bay into Pukeko St and a crossing island.
"Once completed, this will mean that path users can cross SH88 one lane at a time – similar to what has been installed at Burkes," Mr Forbes said.
"There is currently no space to move this lane over, so we must create it."
The first step would be to remove the old retaining walls and footpath through the area.
"In doing this, we have to remove the support for the existing highway’s city-bound lane.
"Until we can construct the new pavement and return the highway support, it is not safe to open this lane."
The final stage of the shared path to Port Chalmers is expected to be completed in the first half of this year.
