Part of Northland’s State Highway 11 will remain closed for the next few days due to slips and bad weather.
The NZ Transport Agency says traffic won’t be able to pass the Lemons Hill slip until at least Friday.
Motorists are asked to use the detour route between Paihia and Kawakawa via SH1, SH10 and SH11 (Pakaraka and Puketona Junction). This will add an extra 30 minutes to the journey.
The slip was caused by ex-tropical cyclone Fehi on Febuary 13 which spanned 52m vertically and about 80m along the base.
The road was closed to all traffic over the weekend because of forecast heavy rain, which also prevented any slip clearance work.
Transport Agency’s Northland system manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult says a geotechnical inspection found more loose material above the roadway that has become unstable.
“Our crews will be working to remove this unstable material as soon as weather and ground conditions allow. But while they work in this area, and until it has been removed, it’s not safe to open the road,” she says.
