Hawke's Bay recovery

26 July 2023

Tēnā koe,

Our teams are continuing their hard mahi on our Hawke's Bay roading network amid the challenges of winter conditions.

Progress continues to be made on State Highway 5 (SH5) and State Highway 2 (SH2), and we've taken another positive step with the signing of the agreement for the Transport Rebuild East Coast Alliance.

Repairing potholes also continues to be a priority in Hawke's Bay as wet weather puts more pressure on our roads.

Progress update on SH5

Some great progress is being made on SH5. The repair works at the Esk underslip between Glengarry and Te Pōhue are now at road level. The road is expected to be opened at the end of August once the pavement and drainage works have been completed.

Temporary repair work on the last remaining Mangakōpikopiko Stream site is expected to be completed by the end of July. Our teams have worked hard to restore all these sections of road that were affected by underslips and scouring, and it's great to see the final works near completion.

There is more work to be completed than anticipated at the large underslip at Elands, and this is now expected to be finished at the end of August.

Meanwhile, the Captain's culvert scour repairs between Te Pōhue and Te Hāroto (where the road is down to one lane) are still expected to begin at the end of July.

These repair works are weather dependent.

Progress update on SH2

Here's a snapshot of what's been happening:

• A large overhanging boulder was removed from a hillside at the Devil's Elbow area on 19 July to ensure that the road can be safely reopened to two lanes.
• The crack filling work under the Esk River Bridge is now set to begin in November/December. In the meantime, temporary traffic management has been lifted and the speed limit has been put back up to 100km/h.
• The road at White Pine Bush remains reduced to a single lane after an underslip has progressed into one lane of the highway. Our experts are monitoring the site and we are working on a solution to repair it.
• Final tidy-up works at Sandy Creek Bridge have been completed. This included barrier reinstatement, hydro-seeding, sweeping of beams under the bridge, and the widening of watercourse through the bridge.
• Under-scour repair work at the Karearea Stream Bridge between Tangoio and White Pine Bush is on track to be completed at the end of July. We will then be able to open the road back to two lanes.

Image: The large boulder was removed by crews.

State Highway 50 Waipawa River Bridge

Our contractor is working at pace to repair the washout at the Waipawa River Bridge. It's a challenging undertaking as the crews had to divert the river first before starting the physical works in the riverbed.

The picture shows the first lift of backfill material that has gone in and been compacted last week. The team is dependent on dry and favourable weather to complete this work and is hoping to be able to open the bridge and the road by the end of August.

We know SH50 is a crucial link into Hawke's Bay from the central and lower North Island, and we're working towards restoring this connection.

Image: Work is underway at the Waipawa River Bridge where the road and abutment were washed out.

East Coast Recovery Alliance signing

The recovery of transport networks across Te Tairāwhiti and Te Matau a Māui – Hawke's Bay has taken another step forward with the signing of the agreement for the recovery alliance.

The Transport Rebuild East Coast Alliance is a collaboration between Waka Kotahi, KiwiRail, Fulton Hogan, and the existing maintenance contractors for the two regions; Downer and Higgins.

The Alliance will lead the design and delivery of physical works on the state highway and rail networks over the coming years.

Waka Kotahi National Manager System Design Robyn Elston says a lot of work has gone into setting the Alliance up for success since the interim agreement was signed in April and one of the key aspects of the Alliance is the East Coast first philosophy regarding how work will be delivered.

"The East Coast has a strong pool of hard-working, skilled, and experienced contractors, consultants, and businesses who understand both road building and the East Coast whenua. Locally owned and operated contractors will be prioritised when it comes to delivery of the physical works."

The Alliance will also undertake the ongoing maintenance and operations requirements of the state highway network, continuing the recovery efforts that have been ongoing since February 2023. The Alliance is expected to be in place for several years.

State Highway 51 safety improvements underway

On State Highway 51 (SH51), our crews are tracking ahead of schedule to finish the first stage of the project.

Next week, the installation of side barriers and flexible median barriers between Waitangi Road and Awatoto Road will be completed. This means that northbound vehicles will no longer be able to turn right between Waitangi Road and Awatoto Road and will be limited to left-in/left-out movements only.

Construction of the permanent roundabout has been brought forward and is now likely to start mid-summer. Flexible median barriers are the safest barrier if someone hits them and can prevent head-on crashes which is how most people are killed or seriously injured on New Zealand roads. Many of the crashes on SH51 between Napier and Hastings have been head-on or at intersections so the combination of median barriers and the permanent roundabout at the Awatoto intersection will significantly reduce the risk of these types of crashes.

We would like to remind drivers that there is a temporary speed restriction in place to ensure the safety of road workers and the travelling public. We urge motorists to slow down and take extra care when driving through the work site.

Watch: Do you know how median barriers actually work? Watch our video above to learn all about them.

State Highway 38 underslips

We've got good news on State Highway 38 (SH38), with repair works at the underslip next to the Waikaretaheke River underway now completed.

Repair works at a large underslip on the road (also at the Waikaretaheke River) are about to start. We need river levels to drop before beginning. The repair of the underslip near the intersection of SH38 and Titirangi Road (pre-cyclone damage) is expected to start once the underslip at the Waikaretaheke River has been fixed.

Image: The completed site on SH38.

Potholes a priority in Hawke's Bay

The wet weather over the past few weeks and months has kept maintenance crews busy dealing with surface flooding, slips, fallen trees, debris and road closures. Repairing potholes continues to be a priority.

Unfortunately it is not a surprise to see some of the newly-repaired potholes reopening soon after repair, such as on SH2 between Gisborne and Napier, with the sheer amount of water pressure the road is under.

It is absolutely essential potholes are repaired and filled as quickly as possible, for the safety of all road users.

While our road crews are out daily working to fill these holes, we're also encouraging road users to report the damage they see – call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS to report issues.

To learn more about our maintenance work, see our frequently asked questions here.

Keep up to date

It’s a challenging time to travel around Hawke’s Bay. Please plan ahead and drive to the conditions.

Traffic updates: Hawke’s Bay
Facebook: Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency - Hawke's Bay and Gisborne
Twitter: Waka Kotahi CNI
Journey planner: Hawke’s Bay
Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

More information

For more information on the recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle, see the dedicated Hawke’s Bay Cyclone Recovery section on the Waka Kotahi website. You’ll find all the latest updates, FAQs, and information on the road ahead, all in one place.

You can also contact us at hawkesbay.response@nzta.govt.nz

Subscribing to this newsletter

As Hawke’s Bay recovers from Cyclone Gabrielle, this e-newsletter is designed to keep you updated on our progress, any changes and things you need to know. You are receiving this e-newsletter today as you have previously registered your interest in matters affecting our state highway network in Hawke’s Bay. Please share it with others who may find the information useful or, alternatively, you can unsubscribe.