This Week's Summary

Kenepuru Road to the Heads, and its side roads remain restricted to residents, emergency and essential services.

Please note there are road closures on Queen Charlotte Drive (approximately 1.7km from the SH6/Havelock turnoff for 300m) near Cullen Point, Mahakipawa Hill. These closures are on weekdays to Wednesday 28 February.  

Crews have been drilling and installing steel spiral and concrete piles at this location as works continue on the construction of a MSE (Mechanically Stabilised Earth) wall.

Road closures are also scheduled on Tuesday 27 February and Wednesday 28 February on Northbank Road (approximately 35.7km from the SH6 turnoff).

Please see the road closure section for more details on these closures. 

There are multiple work sites on Queen Charlotte Drive between the road closure site near Cullen Point and Governors Bay, including:

• The installation of a new culvert near Moenui Road
• The constuction of a retaining wall 450m past Aussie Bay when travelling towards Picton.
• Road realignment and slip repairs at Governors Bay. 
• The installation of a railway iron wall approximately 2km past Tepuia Heights, when travelling towards Picton. 

Works started this week on Kenepuru Road to repair a rail iron wall, just prior to Portage when travelling from the Queen Charlotte Drive turnoff.

Sealing works are scheduled on Port Underwood Road for late this week. 

Rock protection works are continuing this week on Northbank Road, 22km from the SH6 turnoff. 

Works to install culverts on Ronga Road began this week and will continue next week.

Keep reading for information on:

• Road Closures
• Kenepuru Road Restrictions
• Other Road Restrictions
• Resident Definition
• Awatere Valley Road
• Duncan Bay 
• French Pass
• Kenepuru
• Northbank
• Queen Charlotte Drive
• Ward

Road Closures

Queen Charlotte Drive (approximately 1.7km from the SH6 turnoff) for 300m near Cullen Point, Mahakipawa Hill.

• Underway now until Wednesday 28 February during weekdays, from 9.00am to 3.00pm, openings will be on the hour, every hour to clear waiting traffic. 

Northbank Road - (approximately 35.7km from the SH6 turnoff or 2.75km past Top Valley Road when travelling up the valley).

• Tuesday 27 February and Wednesday 28 February from 8.00am to 5.00pm, with a lunchtime opening between 12.30pm and 1.00pm.

Outside of the above closures, the sites will be under stop/go traffic management.

Kenepuru Road Restrictions

Kenepuru Road to the Heads, and its side roads remain restricted to residents, emergency and essential services. 

These roads have severe storm damage and entry into this section of Kenepuru Road is at resident and emergency or essential service drivers' discretion. 

Extreme care should be exercised and daylight driving only is strongly recommended. 

Residents vehicles up to 12.6m in length, and 6 tonne in weight can travel on Kenepuru Road and the following side roads; Mahau Road, Torea Road and Moetapu Bay Road as far as Double Bay Reserve. 

This means residents can access boat launching areas at Double Bay Reserve, Torea, Portage and along Mahau Road.

On all other side roads, between Kenepuru Road to the Heads no vehicles over 8m in length or 3.5 tonne in weight are permitted. 

The Marlborough District Council's barge subsidy is available for resident's vehicles that are outside these dimensions.

The Council's water taxi subsidy is available for residents, workers and visitors to areas in the Marlborough Sounds that were previously accessible by road. 

For more information on the Council's transport subsidies visit their website. 

For a full list of what is deemed an emergency or essential service visit the Council's website.

The following restrictions apply on this section of Kenepuru Road and it's side roads including Moetapu Bay Road;

• No campervans, vans or buses.
• Only 4WD and light vehicles.
• On Kenepuru Road to the Heads, Torea Road, Mahau Road and Moetapu Bay Road to Double Bay Reserve, no vehicles over 12.6m in length or 6 tonne in weight. 

On all side roads off Kenepuru Road to the Heads, excluding Torea Road, Mahau Road and Moetapu Bay Road to Double Bay Reserve, no vehicles more than 8 metres in length or 3.5 tonne.

Residents only are permitted to walk and cycle on the restricted access section of Kenepuru Road and Moetapu Bay Road.

There are the following hazards on this section of Kenepuru Road and Moetapu Bay Road;

• Slips.
• Drop outs.
• Single lane in places.
• Increased hazard during rain.
• Uneven surfaces and gravel sections.

Other Road Restrictions

Queen Charlotte Drive is open to all vehicles less than 12.6m. Vehicles over 12.6m must obtain a permit to drive on Queen Charlotte Drive. These permits can be obtained by emailing the Marlborough Roads NZTA office on MRoadsadmin@nzta.govt.nz.

Please note there is no longer a requirement for vehicles over 12.6m to be piloted on Queen Charlotte Drive. 

Anakiwa Road is open to vehicles less than 12.6m. Beyond Tirimoana Jetty, only light vehicles weighing less than 3.5 tonnes are allowed, unless by prior arrangement.

French Pass and Tennyson Inlet are accessible, but drivers should be aware that the road is narrower than usual in some sections.

Please be aware that on all roads, including those with public access, there may be areas of works and traffic management in place. Please expect delays and follow all signage and traffic management.

Heavy rain may lead to roads needing to be closed urgently. No matter the status of the road, drive to the conditions.

To check the status of a road before you travel, please visit the Civil Defence Emergency Map.

Resident Definition

The definition of a resident, in terms of who is able to access roads restricted to resident and emergency services is; 

A permanent resident, owner of a holiday home/bach, or the owner of a commercial interest.

It does not include visitors who are hiring or renting a holiday home or bach, where rental arrangements have been made through either a property letting agency or directly with the owner. 

Awatere Valley Road

Repair works have now been completed on the Jordan Bridge pier.

Gabion baskets to extend the width of the road, an asphalt bund and new sealing have been completed 2.2km from the Medway Road turnoff on Awatere Valley Road. 

Marlborough District Council started watermain upgrades prior to Christmas on Awatere Valley Road between Nina Brook Bridge (approximately 7km from the start of the road) and Taylor Pass Road. These works are planned to run until end of March 2024. 

The above works will be undertaken under stop/go traffic management, please expect delays.

Duncan Bay

Aerial view of completed works at Duncan Bay 

French Pass

Culvert replacement, drainage and road construction works have started this week on Ronga Road and are scheduled to continue next week. These works will be under stop/go traffic management. 

Works for the new boat ramp in French Pass township are now planned for late June 2024 (not March as previously stated). This will allow crews to work in with tide times. More information will be shared in this update once the dates are confirmed.

Kenepuru Road

Works started this week on Kenepuru Road to repair a retaining wall and replace a culvert, just prior to Portage, 28.5km from the Queen Charlotte Drive turnoff. Works will continue at this location next week. 

The above works are planned to be under stop/go traffic management.

The repair of a retaining wall and installation of a new culvert is now complete at RP32, approximately 3km past Portage when travelling towards the Kenepuru Heads.

Repaired retaining wall and replacement culvert approximately 3km past Portage

Northbank

A culvert replacement under road closures is scheduled on Northbank Road approximately 35.7km from the SH6 turnoff (2.75km past Top Valley Road when travelling up the valley).

The road closures will be in place on Tuesday 27 February and Wednesday 28 February from 8.00am to 5.00pm at the above location, openings will be between 12.30pm and 1.00pm.

Rock protection works and reinstatement of the carriageway was carried out last week and this week on Northbank Road, 22km from the SH6 turnoff. These works are also planned to continue next week at this location under stop/go traffic management.

Scour protection works will be carried out next week at Noel's Bridge, 42.9km up Northbank Road from the SH6 turnoff. These works will be carried out under stop/go traffic management.

Rock revetment works are scheduled approximately 7km up Onamalutu Road from the Northbank Road turnoff. These works will be carried out under stop/go traffic management.

Rock protection works on Northbank Road, 22km from SH6 turnoff

Queen Charlotte Drive

Crews have been drilling and installing steel spiral and concrete piles as works continue on the construction of a MSE (Mechanically Stabilised Earth) wall, along with associated drainage upgrades on Queen Charlotte Drive near Cullen Point, Mahakipawa Hill.

There is a road closure in place near Cullen Point, Mahakipawa Hill, approximately 1.7km from the SH6 turnoff for 300m. The closure is scheduled to be in place until Wednesday 28 February, during weekdays, from 9.00am to 3.00pm. Openings will be on the hour, every hour to clear waiting traffic.

Outside of these times, works will continue under stop/go traffic management, please expect delays.

In addition to the above closures, there will also be increased works along the length of Queen Charlotte Drive during February with multiple recovery sites under construction.

Works to install a new culvert and repair the road are continuing, just prior to Moenui Road (when travelling from Havelock). Last week excavation took place down stream and bedding rocks were placed. Works to install two segments of the box culvert were carried out this week and the third precast section is scheduled to be installed next week. These works are under stop/go traffic management.

Works to realign the road and repair a slip have begun 70m past Governors Bay when travelling towards Picton. Over the past two weeks crews have been drilling and installing anchors at this location. These works are also scheduled to continue next week. 

Timber lagging and drainage works were carried out last week at a new retaining wall site, 450m past Aussie Bay. This week backfilling, drainage and culvert installation works have been carried out and backfilling will continue at this site next week. 

Works have begun this week on a new railway iron wall approximately 2.1km past Tepuia Heights, on Queen Charlotte Drive when travelling towards Picton.

Next week, works are scheduled to begin at a second railway iron wall site approximately 100m before the above site, when travelling towards Picton.

Users of the Link Pathway will be guided through the above sites by traffic management.

A third railway iron site is also scheduled to start in the coming weeks, 450m before Moenui Road, when travelling towards Picton.

These sites are under stop/go traffic management. Please note there will be increased truck movements while these works are being carried out. Please plan ahead for delays.

Works have begun to realign the road and repair a slip near Governors Bay 

Newly drilled piles at the Cullen Point site, near Mahakipawa Hill.

Ward

Riverbank works are continuing on Ure Road this week, two sections are being worked on, the first being approximately 4.7km from the SH1 turnoff. 

Once the first section is completed, crews will move to the next section, approximately 7.7km from the SH1 turnoff. 

Riverbank works on Ure Road, Ward

More Information

If you require welfare support contact recovery@marlborough.govt.nz or phone Council on 03 520 7400.

For local roading alerts/updates go to Marlborough District Council's website.

Sign up to the Antenno app to receive notifications on your phone.

Check the Civil Defence Emergency Management map for road access restrictions. 

Phone: 0800 213 213 or 03 520 8024, between 8.00am - 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.

Email: recovery@marlboroughroads.com