This Week's Summary

The scale of the August 2022 weather event is significantly larger than that of July 2021, with over 670km of Marlborough's roads having been affected and over 4,000 faults identified.  

This week the following roads have moved to public access in the French Pass area; Te Towaka – Port Ligar, Cissy Bay, Waitata and Bulwer roads.

There has now been over 600km of road returned to public access since the August 2022 weather event.

There are daytime construction closures on Kenepuru Road to undertake improved access. 

There is also a daytime construction closure on Croisilles-French Pass Road at Saddle Hill. 

Please see below for more information, including timings of these construction closures. 

Driving with caution is advised and delays are expected while works continue on the roads affected by the August 2022 weather event.

Keep reading for information on:

• Initial Recovery Programme
• Road closures
• Road status
• French Pass/Croisilles
• Kenepuru status update
• Kenepuru 
• Port Underwood 
• Queen Charlotte Drive
• State Highway 6
• Waihopai Valley 
• Support

Information and Support

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

Visit Marlborough District Council's website for a weekly Marlborough Recovery Update, posted each Friday afternoon. 

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 8am - 5pm, Monday to Friday

Email: recovery@marlboroughroads.com

Initial Recovery Programme

Approval has been given by Marlborough District Council for the initial recovery programme, to use the remaining budget from the July 2021 weather event. These funds have been allocated towards specific priority sites and improved access on French Pass, Kenepuru Road and Queen Charlotte Drive. 

For more information on improved access, committed projects and locations of priority sites visit the Marlborough District Council website. 

Improved Access

The purpose of improved access for residents, is to achieve access for a light 4wd vehicle towing a light trailer in fine weather. The road will likely be closed during wet weather until a safety inspection can be completed.

Improving access will include:

• Clearing overslips on the road but not stabilising the slip face
• Clearing drainage channels and opening culvert entries
• Levelling out slumps in the road by applying short sections of gravel surface
• Underslips will be bunded or delineated, they will not be repaired

This does not prevent further slips/damage from subsequent rain events.

Road closures

There is a daytime construction closure on Kenepuru Road between Moetapu Bay and Te Mahia Bay Road, for improved access works. 

This closure will operate Monday to Friday on working days at the following times: 

• 7am to 9am - Stop/go with up to 30 minute delays
• 9am to 12pm - Closed
• 12pm to 1pm - Road open for residents and essential services
• 1pm to 3pm - Closed
• 3pm to 6pm - Stop/go with up to 30 minute delays

There is a second closure on Kenepuru Road between Sandy Bay and Portage, Monday to Friday. This closure is between 7am to 5pm with an opening on the hour every hour, for 5 minutes. These hourly openings are to align with the other closure on Kenepuru Road. 

Please note that to ensure you can pass through the length of the closure, you need to be at the closure point at the start of the opening time. 

There is a daytime construction closure on Croisilles-French Pass Road at Saddle Hill for the installation of cattlestops. This closure is planned to be in place until Friday 25 November.  

This closure will operate Monday to Friday at the following times: 

• 7.30am to 12pm - Closed
• 12pm to 1pm - Open
• 1pm to 5pm - Closed

Road Status

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

Closed Roads - are closed to all traffic and any travel on these roads is at the drivers own risk and liability.

Restricted Access Roads - there are a range of restrictions that may apply to a restricted access road such as residents only, 4WD only and no HCV. To view the restrictions that apply to a particular road, click on the road in the map. 

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

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. 

French Pass/Croisilles

The daytime construction closure will remain in place until Friday 25 November at Saddle Hill for the installation of culverts. 

Access into the French Pass Area is available through the Rai Valley side on SH6. 

Te Towaka - Port Ligar, Cissy Bay, Waitata and Bulwer roads have opened to public access this week. 

There remains multiple sites of traffic management on the roads in the French Pass area that were damaged in the August 2022 storm. Drivers should travel with caution, adhere to all traffic management and expect delays.

Culvert replacements were completed last week in French Pass while temporary closures were in place.

Temporary closures have continued this week while crews install new cattle stops.

Crews are working on clearing stockpiles of slip material along the length of Croisilles-French Pass Road.

Pavement repairs on Croisilles-French Pass road are planned to be completed prior to Christmas. 

Kenepuru Status Update

Kenepuru Road, between Moetapu Bay Road and The Heads, is accessible to residents and emergency services only.

This section of Kenepuru Road has severe storm damage and entry into this section of road is at resident and emergency services drivers' discretion.

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

The following restrictions apply on the section of Kenepuru Road between Moetapu Bay to The Heads:

• 4WD only
• Light vehicles only, total 3500kg or less
• 8 metres total length restriction

There is the following hazards on Kenepuru Road:

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

Kenepuru Road

Slip clearing on Kenepuru Road between Moetapu Bay and Mahau Road is progressing well. Further works to improve access on this section of road is planned for the next four weeks, weather permitting. 

An additional crew began works on Kenepuru Road working between Mahau and Te Mahia roads this week. 

Good progress has also been made on Kenepuru Road between the Heads to Sandy Bay, with crews now working between Sandy Bay to Portage. 

A culvert replacement is being undertaken on Moetapu Bay Road this week.

Works on Tara Bay Road, to fix a scoured out walkway are planned to start on 05 December, weather permitting. 

Port Underwood Road

Water jetting of culverts has been completed on Port Underwood Road

Queen Charlotte Drive

Anakiwa Road is open to public access for the length of the road. 

Following final works and safety assessment the section of Anakiwa Road that was restricted access is now open to the public. There remains no HCV access beyond the Tirimoana Jetty. 

There are multiple sites of traffic management on Queen Charlotte Drive, drivers are urged to continue to travel with caution, drive to the conditions and expect delays. 

Crews completed the clearance of the final overslip at RP 6.5, between Cullensville  and Kenepuru roads. These works are planned to be completed by the end of this week.

Next week, works are planned for stabilisation patches on Queen Charlotte Drive. 

Temporary works on the section of road on either side of Pukenui Road, are planned from 28 November. These works will return this section of road to two lanes for the Christmas period. 

State Highway 6 - Emergency Repairs Underway

The emergency repairs from Hira to just before Rai Valley township on State Highway 6 have just passed the half way point. There is a huge amount of work happening on the road, with additional crews at three sites. 

The road is expected to reopen in the later part of the evening on 18 December. 

The emergency repairs are challenging. Unlike programmed road maintenance works at this stage in the repair programme we are not able to advise the exact reopening time. Our contractors are working very hard to reopen the road on Sunday 18 December and will need every hour to complete the repairs.

Read more about the progress in our latest update.

Use our Journey Planner, to get up to date travel information on state highways. Visit journeys.nzta.govt.nz.

To subscribe to updates about the SH6 road closure and for further information, please visit the Waka Kotahi Tasman Nelson Recovery Page or email: tasman-nelson-recovery@nzta.govt.nz 

Drilling at Site Four on SH6. Concrete has now been placed at this site for steel and formwork construction to begin. 

Waihopai Valley

The road realignment project on Waihopai Valley Road is in its final stages.

Sealing work is now completed with a 30km temporary speed limit.

Next week crews will do final works including finishing the drainage, temporary access road, top soil and grass seed.

Support

Community Meetings

The Marlborough Recovery Team have hosted a number of community events. For more information view Council's Weekly Recovery Updates or email recovery@marlborough.govt.nz.

Mayoral Relief Fund

A Mayoral Relief Fund has been established  to assist the region in its storm recovery effort following the August 2022 storm event. 

MSD - Civil Defence Payments 

Civil Defence Payments are available to people resident in an area when a civil defence emergency has been declared to cover food, clothing, bedding, accommodation, loss of livelihood, or billeting costs. 

Barge Subsidies

Council will underwrite barge subsidies into the Kenepuru and Queen Charlotte Sounds to assist residents impacted by the August 22 storm event until August 23. 

Water Taxi Subsidies

Marlborough District Council with funding support, will subsidise water taxi services for residents, workers and visitors to the areas in the Marlborough Sounds that were previously accessible by road until August 23.

For more information on any of these services, visit Marlborough District Council's Website.