TREC Hawke's Bay recovery update

21 February 2025

Tēnā koe,

This month marks two years since Cyclone Gabrielle caused such widespread damage to the local state highway and rail network. 

Thanks to the roading crews, contractors and teams who have worked so hard these past two years - we’ve now completed over 70% of the physical works in Hawke’s Bay.

Thank you for your ongoing support and patience while we complete this essential programme of work. You can read about our recent progress in this update and check out our new interactive map of work sites.

Improving stormwater flow at Devil's Elbow, SH2

Work at Devil's Elbow Project R will improve drainage to direct stormwater away from the road and surrounding hillsides, and help minimise slips. 

Work began in January on the inlet side where new pipes and a manhole were installed, and the crew is now working on the outlet. 

We’re about halfway through the work and the final part will see us back at the inlet installing a screen to help stop debris getting in and blocking the pipes.  

We’re closely working with Kaitiaki and ecologists to look after the aquatic life nearby. The stream has been temporarily diverted and will be returned after the work is complete.

Progress late January showing work on the inlet side (see right of photo) of Devil’s Elbow Project R with new drainage to direct stormwater away from the road and hillside.

Other active sites in the ‘upper section’ of Devil’s Elbow: 

• Project H is made up of four sites - two are complete with ground beams installed and shotcreting (sprayed on liquid concrete) scheduled for the wall this week. The remaining two sites are on track to be complete late March.
• Project J is 90% complete. The final 10% will be completed in line with nearby Project I.
• Project I (Devil’s Corner) is going well with enabling works (Stage 1 of 3) now 97% complete. About 2000m3 of material has been excavated to help stabilise the hillside so the next stage of piling work can get underway in readiness for the new retaining wall. 
• Project I Stage 2 is concrete and structural works which start next week. This involves deep piling works and soil anchoring. The final stage (Stage 3) includes earthworks, drainage and pavements and is planned to be complete by the end of 2025.

Milestone moment with last TREC site on SH50 starting

We’ve hit a major milestone with our final State Highway 50 (SH50) TREC recovery site starting this week at Glencoe Gorge.

The underslip  is around 15m high and 10m wide at road level, making the existing guardrail unsafe.

Lattey Precast in Hastings is making specialist blocks for the retaining wall, with HES Earthmoving from Takapau, Hawke’s Bay working on site. This project is expected to take around three months to complete. While this site is in construction we will reduce the road to a single lane, with traffic lights. You may experience delays of up to 10 minutes.

Read more about SH50 recovery work here.

Work started this week repairing the underslip at Glencoe Gorge, Maraekakao.

Elusive eel creates excitement for ecologists on rail projects

TREC started work last week on a site near Takapau, the latest of the 23 KiwiRail projects we’re delivering. 

The natural course of the stream washed out the base of this section of rail line. 

While diverting the stream our ecology team safely rehomed the aquatic life to another part of the stream, including more than 1000 fish and a large freshwater koura (crayfish). They were thrilled to catch and and rehome an elusive large female eel (1.5m long with a 32cm girth) who was putting on weight for the long swim to Tonga for breeding.

Local operators Ngaio Contractors are now installing layers of reinforced fill which is compacted down to help prevent future washouts.

(L-R) Highly skilled operators John Broghton and Hamuera Winterburn from Ngaio Contracting. The elusive large eel safely captured ready to release away from the work.

Site snapshot

SH2 Hawke’s Bay North

• Repairs at Mohaka Rail Viaduct, the final site in this area, are planned to start in late March. 
• Slip stabilisation at Sandy Creek continues to make good progress and we're about halfway through installing the soil nails into the bank. 
• The road surface where we installed the sheetpiling retaining wall at Sandy Creek will be renewed alongside some NZTA road surface renewals as part of their annual maintenance programme. These will be done in the next couple of months.

SH5 Napier to Taupō

• The site of three underslip repairs at Māori Gully is being prepared for construction (in mid-March) by clearing debris. 
• Tarawera Culvert repairs will begin mid-year.

SH2, SH50, SH51 Hawke’s Bay South

• SH50 Glencoe Gorge underslip repairs started this week (see above). 
• SH51 Tutaekuri Bridge repairs are planned to start in early May.

Rail repairs

• Three sites completed: bridge embankment washout at the Ashhurst rail bridge, washout and bank slumping on Mangatera Stream under Bridge 145 just north of Dannevirke, and washout on a culvert north of Piripiri.
• Two sites underway: Takapau (see above), and a shallow landslide and drainage work north of Papatawa. As the Pakipaki site is close to SH2 (between Pekapeka Regional Park and Stock Road) there will be 5-10 minute delays here with stop/go traffic management. Also an occasional stop/stop when trucks need to safely cross the road to access construction materials from the stockpile. This site is scheduled to finish early March.
• There may be as many as 10 more KiwiRail sites getting underway in March.

NZTA consultation on SH5 speed limits

The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is consulting to see if people want to keep the 80km/h speed limits at Tarawera, Te Pōhue and between Turangakumu and Te Hāroto on SH5 rather than seeing them revert to 100km/h.  

The speed limits on the rest of SH5 between Rangitaiki and Eskdale and on SH51 between Napier and Clive will automatically revert to 100km/h by July 2025.  

For more information on changes to speed limits and to submit your feedback, visit  www.nzta.govt.nz.

Consultation closes on 13 March.

Areas NZTA are consulting to keep current speed limit.

Whakapā mai – Get in touch

• Email us
• Website
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• 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).

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• TREC Pānui (regular newsletter)
• TREC Hawke's Bay regional update (fortnightly)
• TREC Tairāwhiti regional update (fortnightly)

Local road network

Hawke’s Bay councils are responsible for local roading recovery projects.

• Napier City Council
• Hastings District Council
• Wairoa District Council
• Central HB District Council