Urgent work is continuing to restore and strengthen transport links across the North Island after severe storms and flooding caused widespread damage to state highways and local roads.
“Transport infrastructure across the North Island was hit hard by intense rainfall and flooding which caused widespread damage, triggered slips and forced the temporary closure of key state highways,” Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.
“It’s been tough for people in the affected regions, but particularly those who became isolated after the closure of key roads cut off their community.
“Our priority has been to restore those connections as quickly as possible. Crews have been working around the clock to assess damage, clear slips and debris, and repair roads so they can be reopened.”
Bishop says good progress has already been made across much of the network, although significant work remains.
“In Northland and Waikato, all state highways are now open, with clean-up and traffic management continuing in some areas,” he says.
Rail connections have also been restored after storm damage forced closures. The East Coast Main Trunk line, which connects Hamilton to Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty, was initially closed after slips and washouts undermined the track.
KiwiRail crews reopened the line to the Port of Tauranga within a day to allow freight movements to resume, Bishop says.
“The line south of Tauranga reopened this week following the rebuild of a 50-metre section of track that had been washed away, meaning the main trunk line is now fully open again,” he says.
In Coromandel, five sections of state highway were closed at the height of the storm. Four have since reopened, including SH25 between Coromandel town and Kūaotunu, SH2 through Karangahake Gorge, SH25 between Hikuai and Whangamatā, and SH25 between Kūaotunu and Kūaotunu West.
“SH25 between Whangamatā and Whiritoa will remain closed for longer due to the scale and complexity of the slip there,” Bishop says. “Reopening is currently expected in February.”
Significant disruption remains in the Bay of Plenty, where work continues on SH2 through the Waioweka Gorge after around 40 slips occurred along the route.
“This is one of the most significant closures we’ve seen,” Bishop says.
“Crews are dealing with a mix of large overslips and underslips, with an estimated thousand truckloads of material still to be removed. Teams are working from both ends of the gorge, seven days a week, with the priority being to reopen at least one lane as soon as it is safe to do so.”
On the East Coast, SH35 has been particularly hard hit, with an estimated 500,000 cubic metres of material coming down in slips and landslides.
Guided convoy access is operating at set times between the Taurangakoau Bridge across the Mangaowira Stream and Te Araroa to provide limited access while recovery work continues.
However, the section between Te Araroa and Pōtaka remains closed due to a major slip involving nearly 250,000 cubic metres of material.
“Some of this only came down in the past couple of days, making the conditions very dangerous for workers,” Bishop says. “This is the most severely damaged section of SH35 and is expected to take the longest to reopen.”
Bishop says full recovery of SH35 will take time and that safety will continue to guide decisions on when and how further sections can reopen. He has urged people to avoid unnecessary travel and to drive with extreme care.
“I’d like to thank all the crews who are working around the clock to safely re-open our roads,” he says.
Looking ahead, Bishop says recovery work will continue over the coming weeks, including clearing slips, repairing damaged road surfaces, stabilising hillsides and closely monitoring sites that remain at risk.
“Even where roads have reopened, there are still many single-lane sections, lower speed limits and traffic management in place,” he says.
New Zealand Transport Agency is continuing to monitor the network and respond quickly if further damage occurs.
Bishop says the response highlights the importance of continued investment in transport resilience, pointing to recent recovery work at Mangamuka Gorge and the Brynderwyn Hills in Northland, which performed well during the latest weather event.
He says resilience projects delivered after Cyclone Gabrielle, including work at Mangahauini Gorge on SH35 and the replacement of the Hikuwai Bridge between Tolaga Bay and Tokomaru Bay, have also held up well.
“These projects show that while we cannot prevent storms, we can build a transport system that recovers faster and keeps New Zealanders moving,” Bishop says.
“We’ll continue to support communities affected by this event, while investing to ensure our transport network is more resilient for whatever comes next.”
