The severity of damage to State Highway 6 between Nelson and Blenheim and State Highway 63 through the Wairau Valley means these highways will not reopen before next week.
However Rocks Rd will partially open to one lane from Wednesday.
Following careful and considered geotechnical analysis, a green light has been given for SH 6 Rocks Rd to partially reopen.
The route will be cleared for use from 8.30am Wednesday but will only be for traffic driving northbound from Tāhunanui to the city. It will be one lane and one way, under strict conditions.
Waka Kotahi acting national manager maintenance and operations, Mark Owen, says the decision has been carefully considered in partnership with Civil Defence and the Nelson City Council on geotechnical advice. Care is being taken to protect nearby homes.
“From tomorrow, the road will be open daily from 8 am to 7 pm to northbound traffic only from Tahunanui towards the City. It has been set up this way to reduce the impact heavy vehicles have on roadworks in Nelson’s CBD. A 30 kmh speed limit will be in place along Rocks Rd and by Tāhunanui to minimise the impact on homes at risk from a nearby slip.”
Mark says Rocks Rd will only be open to vehicles during daylight hours. For safety reasons, cyclists and pedestrians won’t be able to use the route.
“Geotechnical experts will do ongoing inspections of the route to see the impact the traffic is having on the road and nearby properties. If problems are detected, the road may close again at short notice, including during wet weather," he says.
SH 6 and 63 must remain closed for safety reasons, and because damage assessment work is still ongoing.
“Teams have been hard at work examining the damage on State Highways 6 and 63 today,” he said on Tuesday.
“The damage is significant, and the information they’ve collected needs to be reviewed and assessed as it is crucial to our plans for fixing and restoring these routes.”
Contractors are continuing to clear debris and restore access to allow better access to damaged areas. This includes river work in the Wairau Valley to protect State Highway 63 from erosion.
Mark says he realises road users and residents want these key transport links open as soon as possible. However, he says the reality is there will be no quick fix and, with assessments still underway, timeframes for reopening can’t yet be given.
“The scale of the damage to highways and local roads is enormous. They can’t be repaired to their previous condition overnight. Getting these roads restored is going to take a lot of time and an immense amount of effort and planning. As our road crews continue this mammoth task, we ask for your patience and understanding.”
Mark says with more rain forecast later this week; the situation could still change quickly.
An update on the status of both these highways will be provided on Monday, 29 August.
State Highway 63. Renwick – Saint Arnaud update:
Contractors are continuing to work hard to repair this stretch of highway. However, the flooding has caused severe damage with the Branch River Bridge washed out. It will not reopen this week.
However, the road closure point was moved from Renwick to Wairau Valley township on Tuesday evening. This allows better access to Blenheim for affected residents.
