Tairāwhiti/Gisborne & Eastern Bay of Plenty combined state highway update

January weather event response

8 February 2026

Community update 9

Kia ora koutou,

This is an update on the state highway network in Tairāwhiti and the Eastern Bay of Plenty following the recent weather event.

This update focuses specifically on the latest emergency response information for State Highway 2 (SH2) Waioweka Gorge and State Highway 35 (SH35) between Pōtaka and Tikitiki.

If you're travelling on the state highways this long weekend, please drive with extreme caution and check Journey Planner or Facebook before you go.

Please note that information in this update may shift at short notice due to weather or other unexpected factors.

Information current as at 12pm Sunday 8 February 2026.

Current situation

• SH2 Waioweka Gorge on State Highway 2 between Ōpōtiki (Eastern Bay of Plenty) and Matawai (Tairāwhiti), open today for essential freight convoy only, tomorrow for all essential public travel, under piloted convoy conditions.
• SH35 Ōpōtiki to Pōtaka is open.
• SH35 Pōtaka to Te Araroa remains closed. 
• SH35 Te Araroa to Tikitiki is open.
• The only detour route available is SH2 Gisborne to Napier/SH5 Napier to Taupō. It is the only detour in and out of Gisborne. Please take extra care if you’re driving this route over the long weekend.

State Highway 2 Waioweka Gorge

Freight convoys commenced this morning as planned with minimal numbers. This was communicated to freight only at midday on Saturday. The response team has confirmed convoys will operate for freight and essential public travel on Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 February.

Convoys are for essential travel only and will run under piloted convoy conditions. Convoys operate in a single direction, 3 times daily for each direction, across the 37km stretch of Gorge. Pilot vehicles control the convoy speed.

9 and 10 February convoy schedule

• Gisborne bound – start point: Historic Tauranga Bridge
  Departing at: 7.00am, 11.00am, 5.00pm
   
• Ōpōtiki bound – start point: Matawai (Te Wera Road intersection)
  Departing at: 9.00am, 1.00pm, 7.00pm

We are monitoring the sites and convoys closely and as we get through the week we will have further updates on our traffic plans.

Anyone planning to travel in the convoy is advised to allow plenty of extra time to get to the departure point. Convoys will be leaving on schedule.

While geotechnical investigations have confirmed that the road is safe, people should only travel if they must, and be prepared for the road to close at short notice if weather conditions or risk assessments change.

Since the January storm event, crews have been clearing massive slips and debris at 40 sites through the gorge, including eight sites with severe damage.

The road is still a worksite and vulnerable – and drivers should not expect normal road conditions.

Crews will still be working on the side of the road clearing the debris, improving drainage and opening culverts to reduce the risk of further issues.

People should travel with extreme care, follow all instructions and be mindful of workers on the road.
 
We received feedback from the freight industry and in response, we have increased Monday and Tuesday’s schedule to 3 convoys per direction per day, giving drivers greater flexibility and enabling them to complete trips within regulated working hours. The response team is feeling more confident with each run, and these adjustments will help us keep everyone moving safely.

See our latest Facebook post here – feel free to share this.

Crews have been clearing slips and debris, and replacing barriers in preparation for the first convoys through the gorge.

State Highway 35 Pōtaka to Tikitiki

SH35 remains closed between Pōtaka and Te Araroa.

A big thank you to our crews who have continued to work hard this long weekend to help clear slips, clean open drains and repair damage on our state highway network. Good progress continued to be made this weekend, including near Hicks Bay with minor slips and debris cleared off the road.

The mahi will continue into the week, with further works required at the Waikura underslip site and Punaruku overslip site. There’s still a lot more work to be done before the road can be safely reopened.

The surrounding area is still extremely fragile and highly vulnerable, and things can change quickly. Some of sites are highly vulnerable to rainfall. We are closely monitoring these sites and the forecast.

A reminder that there is no public road user access between Pōtaka and Hicks Bay, or between Hicks Bay and Te Araroa. Please be patient. Road closed signage means the road is not safe for general use, and you can't travel further. The road isn't safe beyond the closure point even if the road looks okay from where the signage is.

Safety is our priority. We’re keeping the road closed to protect people - our crews and our communities. It’s about making sure everyone, including our roadworkers, get home safely to their whānau at the end of each day.

Entering a closed road area puts everyone at risk. When someone unexpected drives through a closed road, crews must stop work, move heavy machinery, and reset the site. This increases the danger for everyone and slows down the job, delaying the reopening the community is waiting for. Your patience and care help us make progress safely and efficiently.

See our Facebook post here on the topic, and please feel free to reshare it on your channels.

Pōtaka to Hicks Bay

This section is closed and remains under CDEM control, with limited access.

Waikura underslip: Progress has continued with diggers onsite over the long weekend but there’s still work to do at this underslip site. There’s been movement in this area which we are actively monitoring. At this stage, we don’t have a timeframe to share with you about when this will open.

Hicks Bay to Te Araroa

This section remains closed. Crews made good progress this weekend clearing minor slips and debris from the roadside, and are continuing to clear out drains and culverts.

Punaruku slip: This is the largest and most complex slip on SH35, with almost 250,000 cubic metres of material coming down – half the estimated total along SH35 during this event.

Crews are continuing with stabilisation and temporary track works. This site is extremely fragile and is still moving. We don’t have a timeframe for opening this section yet.

Hicks Bay underslip: Crews have restored a temporary track across the underslip just south of Hicks Bay. We don’t have a timeframe for opening this section yet.

The map below highlights the key recovery sites and current road closure status.

Tikitiki to Te Araroa

The road is open between Tikitiki and Te Araroa. Work continues to repair underslips and minor scouring. There are many sections where temporary stop/go and reduced speeds are in place. 

Please take extreme care when driving through this section – although this section is open, the land around the road is fragile. We may need to change temporary traffic management at short notice.

Community travel information

We encourage you to delay travel where possible or allow plenty of extra time if you are taking the long detour via SH2/SH5 via Hawke’s Bay. There is no detour via SH35.

A reminder to please take care on SH2 Gisborne to Napier this long weekend. It is our only detour route in and out of Gisborne. 

On the journey on SH2 through Hawke's Bay, you'll encounter some stop/go traffic management and single lane sites, including the priority give-way bridge at Waikare and a road rebuild near White Pine Bush – please be patient and allow extra time for the journey.

Report issues on the state highways to 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

Stay up to date on state highway conditions at NZTA’s Journey Planner.

Ngā mihi nui

Thank you for your patience while we work to restore access.

Kia kaha, stay safe this long weekend and thank you for supporting the teams working hard to reconnect Tairāwhiti and the Eastern Bay of Plenty.