Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Roading crews across the Bay of Plenty are working hard to clear slips and get vital transport links open fast, says Sandra King, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Bay of Plenty System Manager.
“This has been a devastating weather event that has caused a lot of damage to roads, properties and communities. Our hearts go out to everyone who has been impacted by this storm.
“Our focus over the last few days has been assessing the damage and restoring access to roads that have been heavily impacted.
“While the broader network has performed reasonably well, there remains significant damage across state highways.
“As we head into the long weekend we strongly encourage people to follow the advice of Civil Defence and local councils, only travel if necessary and check NZTA’s Journey Planner before they get on the roads,” says Ms King.
The following sections of state highway in the Bay of Plenty are now open:
- SH2 Whakamarama (Esdaile Road to Wainui Sth Road): opened mid-afternoon, under a temporary speed limit, with traffic management in place.
The following sections of state highway in the Bay of Plenty are still currently closed:
- SH2 Matatā to Edgecumbe: likely to open late on Saturday 24 January, under a temporary speed limit, with traffic management in place.
- SH 2 Opotiki to Matawai (Waioweka Gorge)
Crews have worked around the clock across the whole network to get vital transport links open again.
SH2 Waioweka Gorge teams are working on large slip sites at both ends of the closure and will be working through the long weekend. An on-the-ground assessment up to 14km past the largest Goldsmith site will allow the team to plan ahead once digger access is possible.
SH2 south of Gisborne is the only detour route open. The State Highway 35 (SH35) detour route remains closed between Tikitiki north to Pōtaka, due to slips, flooding and debris.
“The immediate focus has been getting roads open again, but we may not be out of the woods yet. Over the coming days and weeks, the ground will be very sodden and the roads remain susceptible to movement, potholes, landsides, overslips, and underslips. We urge people to remain extremely careful.
“We’ll be actively monitoring the network to repair any further damage that we might see and will keep people informed if further work is required,” says Ms King.
For the latest information on closures and roadworks, go to journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link).