SH25 Thames Coast recovery update – 11 May 2018

SH25 rebuild on track for June completion

The project to rebuild and strengthen SH25 after January's storms is entering the final phase, with a first coat of seal laid down on the road in a number of places.

Good weather over the past few weeks have allowed the NZ Transport Agency's contractor Higgins to complete the worst affected sections of road before the colder temperatures arrive, reducing the amount of temporary sealing that may need to be done. In total more than half of the 6km of SH25 damaged in January's storm has now been sealed.    

Around 80 per cent of the rock protection walls along the coast road are now complete, while the specialist drainage team has finished its work after repairing 32 damaged culverts and installing four new ones.

Despite the steady progress of repairs motorists should still expect delays to their journey with stop/go traffic management and speed restrictions at multiples sites. 

How to stay up to date:
· A webpage has been set up to provide travel information for the journey from Thames to Manaia www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/sh25
·  The key traffic and travel source which provides up-to-date information on weather and road conditions nationwide is www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
·  Information is also shared via the Transport Agency’s official Twitter and Facebook accounts listed here www.nzta.govt.nz/contact-us/connect-with-us/
·  Thames Coromandel District Council facebook updates here www.facebook.com/ThamesCoromandelDistrictCouncil/
· Drivers can also call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49) to speak to the call centre team who can provide them with traffic and travel information either before they’re travelling or when they’re on the road.

Planning for reslience on SH25/SH25A

We are continuing to finalise design, obtain consent and prepare tender documents on six projects that will help make the road more resilient to the effects of storms and heavy rain. These are:

• SH25A Kopu-Hikuai retaining wall
• Boundary Creek, rock wall to protect against erosion
• Kereta Hill, retaining wall
• Kereta Coast, rock wall to protect against erosion 
• Kuaotunu Hill, retaining walls at two sites
• Matarangi, rock protection wall 

We're also taking the opportunity to improve safety in addition to resilience at some of these locations. This means that these projects are likely to be completed later this year, rather than mid-year as first expected.

More information

For more information on the SH25/SH25A Thames-Coromandel project, contact us coromandel@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/thames-coromandel