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Marlborough Roads Recovery Update |
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28 August 2025 |
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This Weeks Summary |
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Daytime construction closures remain in place at multiple locations across Marlborough. Please refer to each area's section for further information. French Pass:
Kenepuru:
Northbank:
Port Underwood:
All work is subject to weather and other unforeseen circumstances. In the event of unsuitable conditions, work will be rescheduled to the next suitable workday. Changes to planned road closures will be sent via Antenno. Sign up to Antenno here. A new road closure is scheduled to begin next week on Croisilles-French Pass Road. Please refer to the new road closures section below for more information. Construction continues throughout French Pass, on Croisilles Road and Croisilles-French Pass Road. Work is commencing in Tennyson Inlet on Archers Road in mid-September. Recovery works continue at various sites along Kenepuru Road with retaining wall construction well underway. Queen Charlotte Drive sites at the Picton end are nearing completion with sealing scheduled next week, weather permitting. Port Underwood Road, from Rarangi to Oyster Bay has reopened to public access today. Please drive with caution. There remains a construction closure on the Waikawa side of Whatamango Bay. Please plan ahead and allow for delays in these areas. Keep reading for information on:
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New road closures |
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Please refer to each area's section for information on existing road closures on Kenepuru Road, Northbank, Pelorus and Port Underwood. During all planned road closures, emergency services will be accommodated at all times. --------------------------------------------------- French Pass - Shoulder Repairs From Thursday 4 September to Friday 12 September, closures will be in place on Croisilles-French Pass Road approximately 1.5km prior to the Elaine Bay Road turnoff when travelling North. This section of the road will be closed:
The road closure is required for shoulder repairs, drainage improvements and road reinstatement works. --------------------------------------------------- Kenepuru - Te Mahia Road From Monday 9 September until mid-October, Te Mahia Road, from the start of the road will be closed:
The closure is needed for a road retreat, drainage improvements and pavement reinstatement work. --------------------------------------------------- Tennyson Inlet - Archers Road From Monday 15 September, a road closure is required on Archers Road, approximately 2km past the Tennyson Inlet Road/Duncan Bay Road intersection. The closure is needed for the development of two road retreats and a retaining wall. From Monday 15 September to mid- December, this section of the road for approximately 1km will be closed on:
During the school holidays, from Monday 22 September to Friday 3 October there will be additional openings at 10am and 2pm to allow queued vehicles to pass. --------------------------------------------------- To view the current 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. |
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French Pass |
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Drainage repairs have been completed on Croisilles Road approximately 2km before the Hope Drive/Wharf Road intersection. This week, crews have completed the excavation and subsoil preparation for the construction of a mechanically stabilised earth (MSE) wall at this site. Works continue on Croisilles-French Pass Road, approximately 2km past the Elaine Bay turn off. The crew are beginning excavation and piling to stabilise the hill slope. These works are required to be completed under road closure until Thursday 4 September. The closure times are Monday to Friday 9am to 12pm and 12.30pm to 3pm. Once the above works are complete crews will move inland to approximately 1.5km prior to the Elaine Bay turn off when travelling North. A closure will be in place from Thursday 4 to Friday 12 September for excavation to commence. Please refer to the new closures section for more information. Minor improvement works at various sites between Elaine Bay and towards Bulwer and Te-Towaka Port Ligar have been completed. Bore hole drilling prior to French Pass Village was completed last week. Information from the drilling will be used to inform design. |
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Hyrdoseeding at the Elaine Bay retreat on Croisilles-French Pass Road |
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Kenepuru Road |
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Work continues on Kenepuru Road, prior to the Mahau Road intersection. Bore hole drilling investigation is complete, and preparation for a mechanically stablised earth (MSE) wall is underway. These works are being completed under stop/go traffic management. Please plan ahead to allow for delays of up to 15 minutes at this site. --------------------------------------------------- On Monday 1 September works will commence on Te Mahia Road for a road retreat and drainage improvements. Works will be carried out under stop/go traffic management for the first week of works. From Monday 9 September, a road closure will be in place. Please refer to the new road closure section for more information. --------------------------------------------------- Daytime construction closures scheduled on Kenepuru Road at Portage Heights and Island Point continue. The road closure at Portage Heights is located from Portage Resort for approximately 1km towards the Heads. Progress continues on the retaining walls at this site. The crews are busy with timber lagging, wall drainage, concreting for ground beams, and whaler and culvert installation. Closures are in place at the following times:
The Island Point road closure is located from Onahau Road to Tara Bay. Retaining wall construction continues, along with kerb and channel preparation as part of drainage works. Closures are in place at the following times:
Outside of the closures, works will be carried out under stop/go traffic management with up to 15 minute delays. --------------------------------------------------- Drainage improvements and culvert installation works continue along Titirangi Road, Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am to 5pm. These works are scheduled to continue until September under residents’ access only. The crew are working from Titirangi Beach back towards the Heads. Residents should expect delays of up to 15 minutes. 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. |
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Backfill progress on a slip at Portage Heights |
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Moetapu Bay Road |
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Construction closures are in place on Moetapu Bay Road for drainage improvements and road reinstatement works. The closure is in place Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm, with openings on the hour every hour. The retaining wall approximately 1km from the start of the road is now complete. Sealing at this site will be completed at the same time as other sites on Moetapu Bay Road, when weather conditions allow. Excavation for a road retreat is progressing at the second site within this closure section. |
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Northbank |
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Crews continue to work on Northbank Road, 2km from the start of the road to clear a large slip. Planned construction closures will continue in August. Last week a 30-minute opening for all vehicles from 12pm to 12.30pm Monday to Saturday was introduced. This Saturday 30 August, the crew will not be working and the road will be open all day. The planned closures will resume as scheduled from Monday 1 September at the following days times:
With work on the slip proceeding to plan, the ground is now more stable and the risk of rockfall has diminished sufficiently to allow these additional opening times. In the event of any large rockfalls or heavy rain, this additional access will need to be reassessed. If the road is deemed unsafe at any time, the road will be closed and an update sent via Antenno and the Council’s website. The road is still under lights with two-minute delays. Please ensure you are ready to either enter or exit this area between 12pm and 12.30pm as late arrivals to the lights will not be allowed through – there will be no exceptions. When travelling near or past our work sites, please ensure you keep outside any fences or barriers for your safety. Please adhere to, and do not move any traffic or safety management in place (i.e. gated closures/cones/signs/traffic lights/barricades) for your own safety. |
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Works progressing at the slip 2km from the start of Northbank Road |
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Pelorus |
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Construction closures on Te Hoiere Road are finishing tomorrow. Drainage improvements are complete and the crews are finishing the road reinstatment. Closures will be place tomorrow, Friday 29 August from 8.00am to 12.00pm and 12.30pm to 5.00pm. |
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Port Underwood |
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Crews have completed initial remedial work on Port Underwood Road from Oyster Bay to Rarangi. This has included scouring, grading and signage installation. Following final specialist inspection, the road is now open to public access. Narrow sections and uneven surface areas remain, please drive cautiously. The Port Underwood area will now move to the recovery phase, in which approximately 50 sites will require a permanent solution to reinstate the road. Please continue to plan ahead for delays as works continue on the road. ---------------------------------------- Planned construction closures continue on the Waikawa side of Whatamango Bay for the construction of a road retreat. This closure has been extended until Friday 19 September, due to the additional scope of works and recent wet weather, with associated unfavourable ground conditions. The closure times are Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 2.30pm. Please plan your travel accordingly. Works will continue beyond this date under stop/go traffic management with delays of up to 15 minutes. Further excavation at the road retreat site has occurred this week. The crew has commenced culvert replacement and concrete dish channel preparation. Works will be undertaken on weekdays at this site from 7am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 5pm, under stop/go traffic management with delays of up to 15 minutes. |
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Queen Charlotte |
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Works at multiple sites on Queen Charlotte Drive focussed on retaining walls, drainage improvements and road reinstatement are nearing completion. Sealing is scheduled to take place on Monday 1 September, from Whenuanui (Becks) Bay towards Picton. These works are weather dependent. Please be aware stop/go traffic management will be in place. |
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Tennyson Inlet |
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Sealing on a section of Tennyson Inlet Road, prior to the Opouri Saddle will be undertaken in the coming weeks, dependent on suitable ground conditions. Two further sites have been stabilised, with sealing to take place later in the year once the road can reach the required temperature. These works will be completed under stop/go traffic management. Speed restrictions will remain in place at these sites until sealing is completed. Road users are urged to follow speed restrictions and all traffic management at this site. This is for drivers' safety, to maintain the integrity of the base course and limit the requirement for further works prior to sealing. ---------------------------------------- On Monday 15 September, construction of a retaining wall and two road retreats will start on Archers Road, approximately 2km past the Tennyson Inlet Road/Duncan Bay Road intersection. These works include the construction of a retaining wall and two road retreats. A daytime construction closure is required for these works from Monday 15 September to mid-December. The closures will be in place on the following days and times:
During the school holidays from Monday 22 September to Friday 3 October there will be additional openings at 10am and 2pm. Please be at the closure points at these times if you would like to travel through. Please refer to the new road closures section for more information. |
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Waikakaho |
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Remedial works have been completed, approximately 6km from the start of Waikakaho Road, for drainage and road stabilisation. Road users are urged to drive with extreme caution and to the conditions. |
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Kenepuru Road restrictions |
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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 RestrictionsVehicles 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:
Other recovery roadsPlease 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. |
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Further Information |
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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 recovery@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, 28 Alfred Street, Blenheim on MRoadsadmin@nzta.govt.nz |
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