Work to clear slips that cut off road and rail links to Kaikoura have reached the halfway point, contractors estimate.
North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR) teams have now cleared five of the ten large landslides that buried parts of State Highway 1 and the rail line north of Kaikoura in the November 2016 earthquake.
“This is good news not only for Kaikoura but also for the rest of New Zealand as work progresses at pace to restore the road and rail networks that are critical to supporting our economy, keeping these communities connected and boosting the prosperity of this region,” transport minister Simon Bridges says.
“NCTIR earthworks teams have been working long hours, seven days a week, to get to this point, completely removing giant slips that fell near Mangamaunu, Irongate Stream and Half Moon Bay during November’s quake.”
The work crews are making good progress and it is a testament to the huge effort they are putting in on the the narrow ribbon of land between cliffs and the sea, Bridges says.
“Throughout this entire process the work crews have followed a programme that will protect the environment and cultural values of the area, while ensuring that we can deliver a more resilient and safer transport network.”
Based on current progress, crews remain on track to restore the pre-earthquake transport links to Kaikoura and its surrounding communities by Christmas.
