- Hon Chris Bishop
Urgent work is continuing to restore and strengthen transport links across the North Island following severe storms and flooding that caused widespread damage to state highways and local roads, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.
"Transport infrastructure across the North Island was hit hard by intense rainfall and flooding which caused widespread damage, triggered slips and forced the temporary closure of key state highways," Mr Bishop says.
"It's been tough for people in the affected regions, but particularly those who became isolated after the closure of key roads cut off their community.
"Our priority has been to restore those connections as quickly as possible. Crews have been working around the clock to assess damage, clear slips and debris, and repair roads so they can be reopened."
"While there is still a lot to do, good progress has already been made across much of the network," Mr Bishop says.
"In Northland and Waikato, all state highways are now open, with clean-up and traffic management continuing in some areas.
"The rail line that connects Hamilton to Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty (East Coast Main Trunk line) was initially closed due to slips and land underneath the tracks being washed away. KiwiRail's teams worked quickly to reopen the line to Tauranga's port within a day, so that rail freight could keep moving.
"The line south of Tauranga reopened this week following the rebuild of a 50-metre section of track that had been washed away, meaning the main trunk line is now fully open again.
"In Coromandel, five sections of state highway were closed at the height of the event. Four of those have since reopened, including SH25 between Coromandel town and Kūaotunu, SH2 through Karangahake Gorge, SH25 between Hikuai and Whangamatā and, as of this morning, SH25 between Kūaotunu and Kūaotunu West.
"SH25 between Whangamatā and Whiritoa will remain closed for longer due to the scale and complexity of the slip there. Reopening is currently expected in February.
"In the Bay of Plenty, work continues on SH2 through the Waioweka Gorge, where around 40 slips have occurred across the route.
"This is one of the most significant closures we've seen," Mr Bishop says.
"Crews are dealing with a mix of large overslips and underslips, with an estimated thousand truckloads of material still to be removed. Teams are working from both ends of the gorge, seven days a week, with the priority being to reopen at least one lane as soon as it is safe to do so.
"On the East Coast, SH35 has been particularly hard hit, with an estimated 500,000 cubic metres of material coming down in slips and landslides across the route.
"Guided convoy access is currently operating between the Taurangakoau Bridge across the Mangaowira Stream and Te Araroa at set times each day, restoring limited access while work continues.
"However, the section between Te Araroa and Pōtaka remains closed due to a major slip involving nearly 250,000 cubic metres of material, some of which only came down in the past couple of days, making the conditions very dangerous for workers. This is the most severely damaged section of SH35 and is expected to take the longest to reopen.
"Given the scale of the damage, full recovery of SH35 will take time, and safety will continue to guide decisions on when and how further sections can reopen. People are urged to avoid unnecessary travel and drive with extreme care.
"I'd like to thank all the crews who are working around the clock to safely re-open our roads."
Next steps in recovery
"Over the coming days and weeks, crews will continue clearing slips, repairing damaged road surfaces, stabilising hillsides and closely monitoring sites that remain at risk as the ground dries out," Mr Bishop says.
"Even where roads have reopened, there are still many single-lane sections, lower speed limits and traffic management in place.
"NZTA is actively monitoring the network and will move quickly to respond if further damage occurs."
Building resilience for the future
"The response to the latest storms highlights why ongoing investment in transport resilience is so important," Mr Bishop says.
"NZTA continually assesses the state highway network to identify risks early and target resilience upgrades where they are most needed."
"Recent recovery work on SH1 at Mangamuka Gorge and the Brynderwyn Hills in Northland performed well through this latest severe weather, which is a good sign our resilience approach is working.
"We've also seen some encouraging examples of resilience projects working as intended in other flood-affected areas.
"Among the safety and resilience improvements being delivered following Cyclone Gabrielle, work is progressing at Mangahauini Gorge on SH35, and a replacement for the Hikuwai Bridge between Tolaga Bay and Tokomaru Bay, along with upgrades to Devil's Elbow, Hakanui Straight and Rototahe.
"These projects, even those still under construction, have held up well through this weather event. They show that while we cannot prevent storms, we can build a transport system that recovers faster and keeps New Zealanders moving.
"We'll continue to support communities affected by this event, while investing to ensure our transport network is more resilient for whatever comes next."
Note to editors:
Attached: Photographs and maps showing affected areas on SH2 and SH35.
