SH31 Kawhia Road repairs

26 June 2024

Soil nailing - driving steel rods into the drop-off - has helped stabilise the slip site.

Slip repairs to be completed next week

Slip repairs on SH31-Kāwhia Road are wrapping ahead of the long weekend but will require another full-day closure on Thursday July 4.

Work on an underslip on a narrow section of road west of the Kāwhia Lookout began on 17 June and contractors have had weekday day-time closures in place to safely operate machinery at the site.

By tomorrow afternoon, Thursday June 27, the site will be back to two lanes with a speed restriction and shoulder closure ahead of the long weekend.

Monday to Wednesday next week the site will be back to a single lane with traffic lights.

On Thursday 4 July the road will close between 8am and 5pm so shotcrete can be applied to cover the exposed bank. There will be the usual two 30-minute openings at 11am and 2pm, to let people through.

On Friday 5 July the site will be under stop/go and a single lane for pavement repairs, rail and fence reinstatement before returning to two lanes.

Work was to have finished on Thursday this week and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi apologises for the extension caused by various delays.

SH31 is the only sealed route in and out of Kāwhia and the Transport Agency thanks the seaside community and their visitors for their patience while this work is done.

Another smaller repair job further west on SH31 near Kāwhia Harbour Road continues under a lane closure until mid-July. Contractors have been building a retaining wall and ground anchors for an underslip. Outside work hours the site is controlled by give-way signs.

More information is on the Kāwhia Rd website.