Roading update
Update: 3.00pm Thursday 6 October
Hamurana Road has now been reopened.
Roading crews continue to clear small slips around the district and anticipate that all known slips will be cleared in the next few days.
Update: 3.15pm Wednesday 5 October
Update on the Hamurana Road closure:
The site was inspected by council and contractor staff this afternoon and Hamurana Rd will remain closed overnight.
Crews have just completed clearing the two large slips. However, as a result of the slips there has been some damage to the road surface that will require repairs prior to reopening the road.
All going well and weather permitting, these repairs are planned for tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, roading crews have made good progress today on the clean-up of the other slips around the district's roading network.
We will provide an update tomorrow on Hamurana Rd.
Update: 8.15am Wednesday 5 October
Roading crews are still out tidying up weather-related damage on roads around the district and our contractors expect this to continue until at least Friday, possibly into early next week.
Meanwhile, other roading crews are now returning to programmed maintenance work.
Here is the update on the clean-up work:
- Hamurana Rd – Still closed. Crews continuing with slip clean up. Planning to open the road later today if the work goes to plan. We expect to be able to update you this afternoon.
- Tutukau Rd – Underslip in road shoulder being repaired.
- Te Kopia Rd - Crews working on other roads will move to Te Kopia once finished at other sites, to clear various small to medium size overslips along the full length of that road.
- Bryce and Maleme roads – Crew clearing overslips.
- Crew completing inspections of unsealed roads in the southern part of the district's roading network.
- Cyclic crew in southern part of the network completing inspections, minor maintenance and opening all “ice/grit” signs in preparation for the cold snap forecast to hit between Thursday and Saturday.
- Cyclic crew in northern part of the network completing inspections, minor maintenance and opening all “ice/grit” signs in preparation for the cold snap.
- Crew on Pongakawa Valley Rd getting the unsealed section ready to start our spring metalling programme tomorrow.
Update: 1.45pm Tuesday 4 October
Two more slips have been reported since this morning’s update
- 09:15, Bryce Rd – Slip across one lane
- 09:25, Hamurana Rd – A second large slip has come down across the road this morning approx. 1km towards Ngongotaha from the other large slip, This slip is larger than the first. Crews will continue clearing both slips but as a result of this second slip Hamurana Rd will now remain closed overnight tonight.
Update: 9am Tuesday 4 October
There were no new issues reported overnight or so far this morning.
Hamurana Rd is still closed due to the large slip there. Contractors aim to have this open to traffic by the end of the day.
We expect to have an update this afternoon.
Crews will be out today as follows;
- Slip clearing on Kaharoa Rd, then over to Lake Okataina Rd.
- Slip clearing on Tumunui Rd then over to Waimangu Rd.
- Slip clearing crew on Hamurana Rd.
- Cyclic crew in urban area completing pothole repairs and inspections.
- Inspection crew in the north checking roads.
- Inspection crew in the south checking roads.
Update: 2.30pm Monday 3 October
Further to this morning's update, the following were also attended today:
- 07:30, Plateau Rd – Slip across the road. Being assessed.
- 08:20, Kaharoa Rd – Slip across the road. Make safe, likely clean up tomorrow, October 4.
- 08:30, Te Kopia Rd – Slip across the road. Make safe, likely clean up tomorrow, October 4.
- 09:05, Dods Rd – Slip across the road. Make safe, likely clean up tomorrow, October 4.
- 09:10, Te Toroa Dr – Tree down across the road. Cleared by crew.
- 11:30, Kaharoa Rd – Four additional slips at various locations found by inspection crew. Clean up crew aiming to clean up today.
- 14:00, Lake Okataina Rd – Multiple slips reported. Crew assessing and making safe with clean-up likely tomorrow, October 4.
- 14:05, Tutukau Rd – Pavement damage reported, possible scour. Crew heading to assess.
Hamurana Road slip - road to remain closed to through traffic
The slip is between Unsworth Road and Mourea and while there is access for residents, the road has been closed to through traffic.
The road will remain closed overnight.
Crews have made progress removing this material and will continue today while the weather allows. However, there is still a significant amount of material to remove and a lot of mud/debris etc on the road and work to clear the slip will continue tomorrow.
Update: 9am Monday 3 October
Council’s roading contractors dealt with a steady stream of weather-related callouts during the weekend and will today be busy clearing a large slip on Hamurana Road which has closed this road to through traffic.
The slip is between Unsworth Road and Mourea and while there is access for residents, the road is closed to through traffic.
Crews will be on site this morning to start clearing the slip.
Rotorua has had about 150mm of rainfall since Thursday afternoon, the majority – about 66mm – falling on Saturday.
Council’s contractors attended numerous callouts and there are six crews out on the Rotorua network today. Three crews are clearing slips and treefalls and three are completing inspections around various parts of the network checking for any other damage.
Motorists are advised to continue to take extra care on our roads and to be on alert for damage such as treefalls and slips following the weekend weather.
The following callouts were attended during the weekend and early today:
Saturday 1 October
- 18:00, Hamurana Rd - Slip across road. Crew attended and cleared.
- 18:53, Hamurana Rd - Slip across road. Crew attended and made safe.
- 23:25, WaioTapu Loop Rd – Slip. On SH5, Coned up to make safe and passed back to highway contractors Higgins.
Sunday 2 October
00:25, Okareka Loop Rd – slip across road. Crew attended and made safe.
05:10, Tarawera Rd, near Te Mu – slips across road. Crew attended and made safe.
09:15, Dansey Rd – tree overhanging the road. Crew attended and cleared.
09:30, Hamurana Rd, 1km past Unsworth Rd – slip across the road. Crew attended and made safe.
09:55, Campbell Rd – flooding across the road. Crew attended and signed up.
10:40, Dansey Rd, near Tarukenga Rd – tree across the road. Crew attended and cleared.
11:20, Maniatutu Rd – two slips across the road. Crew attended and made safe.
13:00, Mountain Rd – slip. Crew attended and made safe.
14:40, TumUnui Rd – tree across the road. Crew attended and cleared to the shoulder.
15:35, Chapman Pl – surface flooding, blocked grate. Crewed attended and cleared.
17:40, Hamurana Rd – large slip blocking the road. ROAD CLOSED
Today - Monday 3 October
03:50, Tarawera Rd – slip near Tikitapu (Blue Lake). Crew attended and made safe.
07:30, Tumunui Rd, approx 2km from SH5 – slip and tree down blocking 1.5 lanes. Crew en-route to assess and clear.
You can report slips, treefalls and damage on our roads to Council by calling 348 4199 – our lines are open 24/7.
Local state highway updates - as at 9.50am today
The following information has been provided by Waka Kotahi which manages New Zealand's highways:
- State Highway 33 OPEN from Paengaroa to State Highway 30 Rotorua
Multiple slips cleared and road reopened around 8.30pm Sunday night. A temporary speed limit is in place as there is some residual slippery material on the road and a section of guard rail was damaged by one of the slips. Drivers please take care.
- State Highway 2 Pukehina – OPEN
Stop/go traffic management removed at the Kaikokopu Bridge at Pukehina. Flood water has receded. Both lanes open.
- State Highway 35 CLOSED since Saturday morning (1 Oct) between Maraenui and Omaio
Contractors have been working hard all weekend clearing multiple slips. Two teams have returned this morning. The priority is to clear at least one lane from Te Kaha to Ōpōtiki, however there are around 11 slips on this route.
- State Highway 29 Kaimai Ranges - OPEN
Slip cleared last night on SH29 near Ruahihi Power Station on the Kaimai Ranges. Stop/Go in place between 11 and 12.30pm today so that contractors can safely remove trees damaged by this slip.
Keep up to date re State Highways:
- Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
- Facebook: facebook.com/NZTAWaikatoBoP
- Twitter: twitter.com/WakaKotahiWaiBP
- Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
- Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)