TREC Hawke's Bay recovery update

Issue 24

5 September 2025

Tēnā koe,

In this edition we take a look at upcoming works on State Highway 5 (SH5), strengthening efforts at Rail Bridge 217, a retaining wall going up at Devil’s Corner on State Highway 2 (SH2), and find out what makes a good or bad stone for a rail track bed.

We’d also love your feedback. Please take a minute to fill out our quick survey below and let us know what you think about this newsletter and what you’d like to see more of.

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

Spring/summer works on SH5

We have a number of sites starting soon along SH5 including resealing and road rebuild work. The warmer dryer weather helps ensure good quality and longer-lasting road surfaces.

Here’s a snapshot of what’s coming up.

Road resealing (at various locations along SH5)

From this month we’ll be presealing specific locations (see map below) on SH5 for approximately 4 weeks. Then we’ll be applying second coat seals in November which is part of the overall resealing process. This happens a year after a section of road is rebuilt and a chipseal finish is applied. This second coat locks in the seal to make it waterproof and keeps the road stronger and safer for longer.

Road shoulder repairs near Eskdale Substation

Towards the end of September we’ll be working on a section of SH5 near Eskdale Substation for about 8 weeks. We’ll be constructing a ‘stabilising buttress’ (an embankment to support the side of the road) on the Napier bound side of the road. Around 90m long and up to 4m high, it will reinforce the side of the road and protect the stormwater culvert system.

Road rebuild work near Captain’s Culvert

Later this month a section of SH5 near Captain’s Culvert will have the existing road surface and underlying road structure (pavement) removed and replaced with new pavement layers to improve durability and safety. We will then return in February 2026 to complete the second coat seal. 

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) will also be running its usual summer roading renewals programme. We’ll work closely together to co-ordinate work and keep you informed of details including traffic impacts.

Map of our current and upcoming work on SH5.

Extending the life of a vital rail link

Corrosion protection works on Rail Bridge 217, located over the Tutaekuri River in Waitangi Regional Park, began in late August.

This work, being delivered by TREC alongside local contractor Napier Sandblasting, includes abrasive blasting and painting the central steel piers and beams to extend the life of the temporary parts of the bridge. Rail freight services won’t be disrupted, as work is taking place beneath the bridge using special scaffolding to protect the rail line.

Further works including bridge span replacements are scheduled from October until February 2026. These will happen over weekends using block-of-line (temporary) rail closures.

River berm restoration works will follow from December through to April 2026. This will include removal of gravel laydown areas, clearing silt to improve river high water flow, and wetland regeneration planting.

These efforts will improve flood resilience of the temporary steel repairs and support ecological restoration in the area. Environmental protections are a key part of the project and iwi engagement is ongoing.

Crews setting up the scaffolding on Rail Bridge 217 in preparation for painting the central steel piers and beams to extend the life of the temporary parts of the bridge.

We’d love to hear from you!

We’re keen to hear your thoughts about the information you’re receiving on our Hawke's Bay recovery efforts.

This quick survey has just 3 questions and takes about a minute to complete. Take the TREC newsletter survey.

Sifting and sorting the good from the bad

A special on-track ‘ballast cleaner’ machine is making a visit to Hawke’s Bay for the important job of cleaning and screening the railway track ballast (stones).

Ballast is the proper term used for these coarse stones, which form the bed of the rail tracks and support the track structure.

This ballast cleaner is an impressive machine - the specialist equipment is hooked together to create a train-like structure which is 380m-long.

It works as a mobile screening plant and sieves out the ‘good’ stones from the ‘bad’ ones. Good stones are angular and lock together to provide a stable base for sleepers. Bad stones are weathered and rounded – reducing their ability to lock together.

The ballast cleaner also removes any problematic vegetation, which can trap mud and dust and prevent the ballast from freely draining.

The ballast cleaner will be working in Hawke’s Bay for the next few months to help TREC finish off our rail recovery projects.

A ballast cleaner (shown here elsewhere on the network) lifts sleepers while sucking up and sifting through the ballast.

Layered for strength

How do you rebuild a hillside after a cyclone? With layers of rock, reinforced plastic, and a whole lot of teamwork.

Alongside local contractors we’re constructing a 12m-high retaining wall at Devil’s Corner in the Devil’s Elbow section of SH2. Here Cyclone Gabrielle caused a major underslip that took out most of the northbound lane.

This wall is going up in 2 layers each week (24 layers in total), using rip rap (rock) baskets, geogrids, (reinforced plastic) and compacted aggregate to create a strong, stable structure that will protect the road. Check out the timelapse of progress below.

To help prevent future erosion and keep the road safe during heavy rain new drainage will also be added.

This project will be completed by the end of the year when the road surface is constructed and connected to the current road alignment. Then this section will be back to 2 lanes for the first time since the cyclone – a great milestone.

Timelapse video showing how fast the wall has gone up in the last 30 days.

NZTA reminder: plan ahead for Waikare Gorge (SH2) closure this weekend

SH2 Waikare Gorge has upcoming closures for the NZTA Bailey bridge replacement work:

• CLOSED 24 hours from 10am Saturday 6 Sept until 10am Sunday 7 Sept.
• Three overnight closures 9pm-5am from Sunday 7 to Tuesday 9 Sept.

For more information including contingency dates see the traffic bulletin or Facebook.

Why are there traffic lights still at Mohaka Viaduct on SH2?

While Cyclone Gabrielle recovery work at this site has recently been completed, NZTA will keep the traffic lights in place while a safety assessment is underway.

The assessment is being done after some freight operators and members of the community expressed concern about reinstating two-lane access. If you have any questions about this, please direct to NZTA.

Site snapshots

SH2 Hawke's Bay North

Underway:

• At Devil’s Corner - Project I, we are well underway with the installation of the 12m-high MSE (mechanically stabilised earth) retaining wall – see above. We currently have 7 of the 24 layers complete.

Upcoming:

• At White Pine Bush we’ll be repairing an underslip and stormwater drainage. This is expected to begin early October.
• At Lake Tūtira we’ll be repairing 2 underslips. Work is expected to start early October.
• Additional drainage (culvert) improvements along Devil’s Elbow were recently added to the TREC work programme by NZTA and will begin in spring. This will involve night work and road closures - we’ll keep you updated once dates are confirmed.
• Sandy Creek, Tangoio Falls, Te Ngarue, Waikaou Hill and Waiau River will all have areas of road rebuilds and second coat seals.

SH5 Napier to Taupō

Underway:

• Repair work on 2 Tarawera culverts is ongoing, despite wet weather conditions, and we are on track to finish this work in November.

Upcoming:

• At Eskdale Substation, we’ll be repairing the damaged road shoulder with a buttress to support the road. Work is expected to begin in at the end of September.
• Further improvements at Captain’s Culvert are expected to start in spring.
• Second coat seals work along this route.
   

SH51

Underway:

• Permanent repairs to the Tutaekuri Bridge (Waitangi) have begun. Repairs focus on 3 key areas: removing debris, concrete repairs to piles in the river, and replacing damaged bracing beams to restore the structural integrity of the bridge. Scaffolding is now up and work on the bracing beams has begun.

SH38

Upcoming:

• Planning for repairs on 5 remaining underslips is underway. These sites include:
• 2 retreats (road is cut back into the hillside) at Whatapo Bay
• 1 MSE (mechanically stabilised earth) buttress also at Whatapo Bay
• Rosie Bay and South of Kaitawa will require 3 tied retaining walls up to 3.5m high – these require anchors and tie rods below the road to hold the wall top in position

Rail progress

We’ve now completed all the culvert replacements underneath the rail lines and have completed 24 rail sites. This leaves 1 more site underway to be completed during September.

North of Napier we’re continuing to remove the silt build up caused by Cyclone Gabrielle and clearing debris from 3 culverts between Tūtira and Wairoa.

Bridge 217 (beside Tutaekuri Bridge (Waitangi) on SH51) repairs have begun on the rail bridge with local contractor Napier Sandblasting starting work on corrosion protection.

We expect this to be completed towards the end of the year which will be followed by span replacement and berm works (see details above).

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).

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• TREC Pānui
• TREC Hawke's Bay regional update
• TREC Tairāwhiti regional update
• NZTA Connecting Hawke's Bay

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