The cabinet has agreed to restore the coastal route to Kaikoura and will provide additional funding to speed up the process.
The announcement from transport minister Simon Bridges that the Crown will fund the work required will be welcome news to residents and civil construction providers.
The government’s current cost estimate for the reinstatement of the existing State Highway 1 and rail corridor to the north and south of Kaikoura is between $1.4 and $2 billion.
It says there will be additional improvements to increase safety and resilience.
“Agreeing to restore the coastal route demonstrates our ongoing commitment to getting this region back on its feet as quickly as possible,” says Bridges.
“Emergency legislation passed through Parliament last week will cut through red tape, and ensure repairs to the existing route can be accelerated,” he says.
An Order in Council in preparation will expedite the reinstatement of State Highway 1 north and south of Kaikōura.
Bridges says that even with such a process in place, there is a long way to go.
“The precise work required to repair the route is still under investigation, and it will be a very complicated job. However, the Government is confident that limited access via the coastal road can be restored in about 12 months,” says Bridges.
“Rebuilding a stronger, more resilient coastal route will give Kaikoura residents the security of a second connection to the rest of the South Island,” he says
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) will repair and maintain the road for vehicles travelling through the Springs Junction and Lewis Pass route over the weeks and months ahead.
NZTA will also work with local government to repair and maintain the Kaikoura emergency access route, and bring other roads back into service in the leadup to Christmas.
