The detour will be in place from 6pm tonight until 7pm on Sunday, to allow contractors to work on a safety upgrade.
The NZ Transport Agency said in a statement the detour would take northbound traffic via the Mosgiel off-ramp and on-ramp, and was expected to add up to five minutes to the normal travel time.
People are advised to follow the detour signs and drive with extra care and attention.
Traffic heading south towards the airport will not be detoured; however, speed restrictions will be in place.
From 7pm on Sunday, all traffic will again be detoured off the state highway via Riccarton Rd to allow contractors to continue work on other parts of the project.
This full detour will continue until mid-March, weather dependent.