Marlborough Roads Recovery Update

15 May 2025

This Weeks Summary

Daytime construction closures remain in place on Kenepuru Road from Onahau Road to Tara Bay and at Portage Heights. Following King's Birthday, the closures will change to a consistent weekly schedule, see below for more details.  

Construction continues under a road closure on Pukenui Road for sealing work following drainage improvements.  

Work continues under weekday, daytime construction closures on Tennyson Inlet Road, 1.5km before the Opouri Saddle and Croisilles-French Pass Road prior to the Elaine Bay intersection.

Please refer to the road closure section for more information on these sites and other upcoming closures. 

The road retreat near Goat Hill, on Croisilles Road French Pass is nearing completion. Please plan ahead for delays of up to 15 minutes. 

From next week there will be two sites on either side of Okiwi Bay under construction. Please plan ahead for multiple delays when travelling between the Goat Hill and the Elaine Bay closures.

On Queen Charlotte Drive there are multiple construction sites between Momorangi Bay and Whenuanui (Becks) Bay. Please plan ahead for delays of up to 15 minutes.

Keep reading for information on:

• Road closures
• Kenepuru Road closures - schedule change
• Gated road closure sites
• Kenepuru Road restrictions
• French Pass
• Kenepuru Road
• Moetapu Bay
• Queen Charlotte Drive
• Tennyson Inlet

Road closures

Pukenui Road - Queen Charlotte Drive

Pukenui Road is closed to all traffic from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday for drainage improvements and road reinstatement. Works will continue under the closures until 20 May 2025. 

---------------------------------------------------

Croisilles-French Pass Road - French Pass

Daytime construction closures will be in place on Croisilles-French Pass Road, 1.5km before the Elaine Bay intersection until late May. During the closures a road retreat, drainage improvements and road reinstatement works will be carried out. The closures will be in place from 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 4.30pm on weekdays.

---------------------------------------------------

Tennyson Inlet Road - Tennyson Inlet

Daytime construction closures will remain in place on Tennyson Inlet Road, approximately 1.5km before the Opouri Saddle until mid-June. During this time a further rail iron wall will be constructed. The closures are in place from 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 5pm on weekdays.

---------------------------------------------------

Akerbloms Road Carpark - Punga Cove

Akerbloms Road carpark before Punga Cove Resort is closed to all traffic for stormwater improvements. These works are expected to be in place until late May. 

---------------------------------------------------

Portage Heights - Kenepuru Road

Daytime construction closures are in place on Kenepuru Road at Portage Heights. The road closure is located from Portage Resort for approximately 1km towards the Heads. From 19 to 25 May, this closure will be in place at the below times: 

• Monday to Thursday 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 5pm.
• Fridays 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 3.30pm.

Outside of the closures, works will be carried out under stop/go traffic management with up to 15 minute delays. 

---------------------------------------------------

Island Point - Kenepuru Road

Daytime construction closures are in place on Kenepuru Road at Island Point. The closure is located from Onahau Road to Tara Bay. From 19 to 30 May, on weekdays this closure will be in place at the below times:

• Mondays 10am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 5pm.
• Tuesday to Thursday 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 5pm.
• Fridays 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 3.30pm.

Outside of the closures, works will be carried out under stop/go traffic management with up to 15 minute delays.

---------------------------------------------------

To view the closure locations, please visit the CDEM map.

Outside of the closure days and times, works will be carried out under stop/go traffic management with up to 10 minute delays. If you have any concerns, please contact recovery@marlboroughroads.com.

Kenepuru Road closures - schedule change

After King's Birthday weekend the closures at Portage Heights and Island Point will move to follow the same weekly schedule, instead of alternating weeks. The timings between the two closures will remain the same, with the exception of Mondays. On Mondays the Island Point site, prior to Portage when travelling from Linkwater, will start at the later time of 10am.

The new schedule will be: 

Island Point

• Monday 10am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 5pm
• Tuesday to Thursday 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 5pm
• Fridays 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 3.30pm

Portage Heights

• Monday to Thursday 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 5pm
• Fridays 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 3.30pm

Road users wanting to travel through both road closures at Island Point and Portage Heights during the lunch time opening will need to be at their nearest closure point between 12pm and 12.30pm.

As long as road users are at their nearest closure point by 12.30pm, recovery crews will ensure that they can pass through all sites so that vehicles do not get stuck between the closure points.

Gated road closure sites

Please be aware that road closure ‘gates’ are in place at hard closure points at sites on Kenepuru Road and Tennyson Inlet.

These gates are used as a physical barrier to create a safer environment for both crews and road users.

When travelling near or past our work sites, please ensure you keep outside any fences or barriers for your safety. Adhere to, and do not move any traffic or safety management in place (i.e. cones/signs/traffic lights/baricades).

Kenepuru Road restrictions

Kenepuru Road is open to the public, with overweight and overlength vehicle restrictions in place. 

Reduced speed limit signage and temporary traffic lights are in place at Portage Heights and approximately 500m beyond Nikau Cove (when travelling from Portage). Both sites have a 30km temporary speed limit in place. Please expect minor delays and follow all traffic management signage.

Vehicle restrictions remain on Kenepuru Road from Linkwater to the Heads as follows:

Vehicle Restrictions

Vehicles up to 12.6m in length, and 6 tonne in weight can travel on Kenepuru Road and side roads.

To apply for a permit for an over dimension vehicle to travel on Kenepuru Road, email recovery@marlboroughroads.com or call 0800 213 213. 

There are the following hazards on this section of Kenepuru Road and its side roads including Moetapu Bay Road:

• Slips
• Drop outs
• Single lane in places
• Increased hazard during rain
• Uneven surfaces and gravel sections

Other recovery roads

Please be aware that on all roads, works may be in progress and/or traffic management in place. Please expect delays and follow all signage and traffic management.

Heavy rain may lead to roads being closed at short notice. Regardless of the status of the road, please drive to the conditions.

To check the status of a road before you travel, please visit the CDEM Map.

French Pass

The road retreat continues to take shape on Croisilles-French Pass Road, 1.5km before the Elaine Bay Road intersection. Culvert installation is complete, concrete channels have been formed and poured, and road preparations are underway. These works are being completed under road closures on weekdays from 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 4.30pm.

Tennyson Inlet Road is closed to all traffic from approximately 1.5km before the Opouri Saddle from 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday until mid-June. The team have begun construction of a second retaining wall at this site, with pile installation this week.

Please refer to the road closure section of this newsletter for more information on these closures. 

Excavation for the road retreat on Croisilles Road near Goat Hill, prior to Okiwi Bay, is now complete. The crew are currently working to form and pour the concrete channels, before pavement works begin. Delays of up to 15 minutes are expected at this site.

Work has commenced at the start of Croisillies-French Pass Road, just outside Okiwi Bay. The crew are working to fill a gully before reinstating the road. With the site now established, a culvert installation began this week.

Next week, works will start on a road retreat on Croisillies Road approximately 2km before Okiwi Bay, with the material being carted to the gully fill site (mentioned above). Expect a higher volume of truck movements between these sites.

Both new sites, will be under stop/go traffic management with delays of up to 10 minutes. Please plan ahead for delays of up to 30 minutes when travelling between Goat Hill and the closure at Elaine Bay. 

Minor works are underway on Bulwer, Te Towaka-Port Ligar and Croisilles-French Pass Road under stop/go traffic management. 

Croisilles-French Pass Road retreat prior to the Elaine Bay intersection

Excavation complete at the road retreat on Croisilles-French Pass Road

Concrete channel being formed at Goat Hill

Kenepuru Road

Construction of a complex site at Portage Heights continues under daytime construction closures, from Portage Resort for approximately 1km towards the Heads. This week the first lot of piles have been drilled and concreted.

Road closures at Island Point on Kenepuru Road are now in place. This week excavation for the first retaining wall began and piles were drilled. Closures are in place from the Onahau Road intersection. Work outside of the closure days and times will be under stop/go traffic management. 

Road users wanting to travel through both road closures at Island Point and Portage Heights during the lunchtime opening must be at their nearest closure point between 12pm and 12.30pm.

As long as road users are at their nearest closure point by 12.30pm, recovery crews will ensure they can pass through all sites so that vehicles do not get stuck between the closure points.

Please refer to the road closure section for further information.

Stormwater improvement work continues on Akerbloms Road, Punga Cove. During these works Akerbloms Road carpark before Punga Cove Resort, will be closed to all traffic. This work is expected to be completed by the end of the month. 

Minor works and culvert installation continues past Kenepuru Heads, with work being completed in Crail Bay and Elie Bay this week under stop/go traffic management. Please expect minor delays.

Torea Barge Ramp is nearing completion with fender poles being installed to mark the end of the ramp in the water on Monday 19 and Tuesdsay 20 May (weather permitting) between the hours of 7am and 5pm. 

Temporary traffic lights remain in place at Portage Heights and approximately 500m beyond Nikau Cove (when travelling from Portage). Both sites have a 30km temporary speed limit in place. Please expect minor delays and follow all traffic management signage.

Drilling of piles at Portage Heights under road closure

Pile drilling at Portage Heights

Excavation of a road retreat on Manaroa Road completed last week 

Moetapu Bay

Next week on Moetapu Bay Road a culvert and drop structure will be installed approximately 80m along from Driftwood Corner, under stop/go traffic management. Works are expected to continue on Moetapu Bay Road over the next month. 

Queen Charlotte Drive

This week on Pukenui Road pavement preparations are underway for sealing on Friday 16 May (weather dependant). Driveway access construction was completed this week ahead of a final culvert installation next week. This work continues under daytime construction closures, with work expected to be completed late-May. 

Please see the road closure section of this newsletter for more information. 

Work continues at two new sites on Queen Charlotte Drive between Governors Bay and Whenuanui (Becks) Bay. This week excavation of the road retreat was completed, with preparations for pavement and drainage improvements at this site underway. 24/7 stop/go traffic management is in place at these sites. Please plan ahead for delays of up to 15 minutes. 

400m before Momorangi Bay when travelling from Picton a shear pile wall is being constructed. This week piles have been driven, and pavement construction has begun. Stop/go traffic management is in place at this site while construction is underway. 

Road retreat excavation on Queen Charlotte Drive

Excavation for drainage improvements on Queen Charlotte Drive

Pavement preparation on Pukenui Road

Tennyson Inlet

Construction continues on Tennyson Inlet Road, approximately 1.5km before the Opouri Saddle until mid-June due to the addition of a second retaining wall. These works are being completed under daytime construction closures from 8am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 5pm on weekdays. 

This week, crews completed excavation for the second rail iron wall and have progressed pile installation halfway along the wall.

Further Information

Marlborough Roads 0800 213 213, between 9.00am - 4.00pm, Monday to Friday.

For more information on the Marlborough Roads recovery project or to subscribe to this newsletter, contact us at recovery@marlboroughroads.com

Visit our webpage: www.nzta.govt.nz/marlborough-roads-recovery

For more information: 

For local roading alerts/updates go to Marlborough District Council's website

Sign up to the Antenno App to receive notifications on your phone.

Check the Civil Defence Emergency Management map for road access restrictions. 

If you require welfare support contact Marlborough District Council on 03 520 7400 or email mdc@marlborough.govt.nz

If you require an overlength permit for vehicles over 12.6m to travel on Queen Charlotte Drive between Linkwater and Picton please email Marlborough Roads NZTA Office, 4 Market Street Blenheim on MRoadsadmin@nzta.govt.nz