The Kaikoura inland road (Route 70) opened for unrestricted use from 8am this morning.
Route 70 is now providing a two-way road link in and out of Kaikoura for the first time since the November 14 earthquakes.
Transport minister Simon Bridges says crews worked relentlessly for the past five weeks to make the severely damaged road safe, by clearing more than 50 slips, stabilising slopes, repairing damage and building an entirely new diversion road around the unstable Whalesback section of Route 70.
“Getting this inland route open is a huge breakthrough,” Bridges says.
While the inland road is fully open, there will be speed restrictions and traffic control in place as work is continuing on many sections of the road.
People who have registered under the convoy system for trips in and out of Kaikoura will receive a text informing them of the change back to normal.
Since the one-way convoy system was set up by the Transport Agency on November 30, more than 3000 vehicle movements have occurred on the inland road: about two-thirds southbound (out of Kaikoura) and one-third northbound (towards Kaikoura).
