Repair work on badly damaged sections of State Highway 60 over Tākaka Hill has been completed in time for Christmas.
The road is now open to two lanes, stop/go traffic management has ended, and speed limits have returned to normal.
Rob Service, NZTA system manager for Nelson Tasman, says extensive work has been carried out above and below the highway. This included rebuilding damaged sections, tackling erosion risks, strengthening the road, improving drainage, and stabilising the ground.
“Thanks to the hard mahi that recovery crews have put in – combined with recent resealing and maintenance work over the past four weeks – travelling over the hill is now smoother, safer and less prone to disruption,” Rob says.
“Great collaboration and cooperation by everyone involved helped ensure the job was completed in six months, in line with the target we set when the recovery work began.”
Early next year, crews may need to complete some final tasks, but these will mostly be off the road and any impact on drivers is expected to be minimal.
