TREC Tairāwhiti recovery update

Issue 24

27 June 2025

Tēnā koe

In this edition, you can read about work kicking off at State Highway 2 (SH2) at our Hakanui Straight (Nesbitt’s Dip) project site and work at Otoko Hill. Also key State Highway 35 (SH35) site updates include Kopuaroa 2 and Hikuwai Bridge No. 1.

Thanks for your ongoing patience and support as we continue our recovery mahi.

Site established at ‘Hakanui Straight’

A SH2 site at Te Karaka was blessed last week ahead of site establishment works starting.

The karakia marked the beginning of a new chapter for a well-known project site - formerly known as Nesbitt's Dip. This ceremony celebrated early work starting (establishment of a site office and installation of protective fencing), while honouring the past and recognising the future under a new project name: Hakanui Straight.

Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki have worked closely with TREC on this important project which will raise this stretch of highway and improve drainage to boost resilience and minimise the risk of future flooding. Hapū input has been crucial in ensuring the roading upgrade meets the community’s needs.

TREC has been invited to share more information on the project at the Māhaki Tiaki Tangata hui at 2pm this Sunday 29 June at 69 Kanakanaia Road in Te Karaka.

A pohiri to mark the project start will be held in mid-July with main construction expected to start in late July.

The karakia was attended by hapū and Iwi representatives, impacted landowners and the TREC project team.

Transformation from Nesbitt’s Dip to Hakanui Straight

The project name ‘Hakanui Straight', from hapū and Iwi representatives, reflects its cultural and historical significance. The Hakanui Stream was important for local food gathering, mahinga kai, and as a travel route for waka. The name honours the area's rich cultural heritage and shows respect for the ancestral waters that sustained people for generations.

With the road being elevated to ensure safer and quicker evacuations during floods, ‘Straight’ (rather than ‘Dip’), embodies strength, directness, and a clear path forward.

As the work progresses under the blessings of the karakia, Hakanui Straight stands as a testament to the enduring connection between the land and its people, a symbol of resilience, and a path forward rooted in history and tradition.

SH2: Otoko Hill update

Crews remain on track to complete work at 9 of 11 recovery sites along Otoko Hill by August. This extensive recovery effort began in June last year to tackle severe damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.

The range of solutions include repairing retaining walls, installing extensive drainage systems across multiple sites to reduce water pressure and road movement, constructing buttresses to build back roadsides and road surface repairs.

Together, this work has delivered a more reliable, resilient, and safer journey for the Tairāwhiti region, especially for freight operators using Gisborne’s main route north.

Several contractors have played a key role including Currie Construction, Jesse James Contracting, Richie Civil, Inline Group, Groundfix, ProTraffic, JT Contractors, and Earthwork Solutions. Thanks to everyone involved.

The final slip sites - Locations K and M are set to begin in July (see map).

Extensive counterfort drainage is being installed at Site B on Otoko Hill.

SH35: Kopuaroa Slip 2 progress

Stretching 250m, this recovery site at Kopuaroa is undergoing significant repairs following damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. Locals, Kuru Contracting, are making excellent progress reinstating the southbound lane shoulder and installing extensive drainage. 
 
To repair the road, crews have built a buttress using engineered fill like reinforced aggregate and soil filled bags to build back the road, creating a stronger and more stable foundation.
 
Traffic was then switched onto the newly constructed lane so crew could move to the opposite side of the road to repair the northbound lane.

The southbound lane, closest to the underslip was badly damaged and will be fully resealed and re-marked once work is complete. Minor defects will also be repaired on the northbound lane.

The Kopuaroa 2 site is currently TREC’s longest in Tairāwhiti.

SH35 Hikuwai Bridge replacement: Protecting our waterways

As work progresses on the Hikuwai Bridge replacement project, ensuring the project operates responsibly and sustainably is a top priority.

TREC uses a Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) to guide construction activities while protecting the environment. 

Treating construction water runoff

The team is currently preparing for the main bridge works by building a specially designed settlement pond. This will help manage construction-related water runoff, playing a crucial role to protect the surrounding environment.

This pond is a purpose-built soakage system to safely manage and treat contaminated water. Because some of this water can have high pH levels, the pit is lined with polyethylene sheeting to prevent any seepage into the ground. The water is then treated to neutralise the pH before being transferred to the soakage pond.

Additional environmental measures include building proper bunds (embankments) around the pit and maintaining the integrity of the polyethylene liners.

Post-demolition protection

Crews have also been tidying the northern and southern banks and stabilising slopes after the old bridge was demolished. Covering the banks with special geo-fabric and constructing an earth bund will help prevent sediment runoff from the area.

White geo-fabric is used for erosion control preventing soil being washed away by the wind and rain.

State highway snapshot

Below is a snapshot of construction works either underway or coming soon. You can also view completed, current and future work sites on our interactive map.

Here are some of the construction terms we use:

• Bund – embankment that creates a barrier
• Buttress – supporting structure
• Counterfort drain – drain that improves slope stability by controlling groundwater 
• Dolosse - interlocking concrete blocks
• Gabion wall - baskets filled with rocks
• MSE (Mechanically Stabilised Earth) – a retaining wall construction technique used to stabilise slopes
• Rip rap - large rocks
• Rock revetment – protection
• Scour - erosion
• Shotcrete – sprayed liquid concrete
• Soil anchors/soil nails – a device used to hold, restrain and support structures
• Willow wall – using willows as ‘living walls’ to stabilise slips

SH2 underway (link to Otoko map and web page)

• Otoko Hill (site B) – tree removal and major drainage to stabilise slopes
• Otoko Hill (site J) – retaining wall repairs and drainage installation 
• Rakauroa – repair underslip using soil anchors and shotcrete
• Matawai Road – willow wall to stabilise slip.

SH2 coming soon

• Otoko Hill (site K) - overslip repairs
• Otoko Hill (site M) - underslip repairs.

SH35 underway

• Hikuwai Bridge No.1 replacement – enabling (early) works
• Mangahauini Gorge - investigations to support future recovery work
• Mangahauini Gabion Wall – Stage 2 – soil nails, buttress and rip rap at the bottom of the existing gabion wall 
• Kopuaroa Slip 1 – reinstate SH35 to 2 lanes by installing a soil anchor and shotcrete wall
• Kopuaroa Slip 2 – build a 250m long buttress to support SH35 and provide additional drainage
• Tōrere – underslip and overslip repairs
• Paronga - D9 Gully Site – buttress wall with MSE. Two faults to be repaired to reinstate state highway to 2 lanes
• Kemps Hill subsidence – buttress repair using a willow wall. Three faults to be repaired to reinstate state highway to 2 lanes
• Makatote dropout #3 – reinstating state highway to 2 lanes, buttress support and rip rap to prevent future river erosion.

SH35 coming soon

• Rotokautuku (Waiapu) Bridge revetment – repair the scour at the south end of the bridge and construct a major revetment with dolosse for future-proofing
• Rotokautuku (Waiapu) Bridge repairs – strengthening works 
• Makatote dropout #2 – buttress support and rip rap to prevent future river erosion.

Whakapā mai – Get in touch

• Email us
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Call us: 0800 80 TREC (0800 80 8732)

If you spot an issue at a work site after hours, call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 444449).

Sign-up to receive these regular newsletters:

• TREC Pānui (general newsletter)
• TREC Hawke's Bay regional update
• This TREC Tairāwhiti regional update

Local road network

Gisborne District Council is responsible for local roading recovery projects. More information.

Up-to-date information on local road closures.