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Hawke's Bay recovery |
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21 April 2023 |
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Tēnā koe,Thanks to dedicated work from our teams in challenging conditions, the majority of Hawke’s Bay highways are now open and operating. But there's still plenty to be done and we're not slowing down. Our focus now is on restoring the link between Napier and Wairoa. We know it’s been hard going for the communities along this section of State Highway 2 and we’re doing everything we can to get the work done as fast as we safely can. With a strategic plan underway for repairs and an interim alliance in place to tackle the work, we are also beginning to reschedule the safety improvements for SH5 and SH51 that were disrupted by the cyclone. These are part of Road to Zero, our national road safety strategy, which maps out our route to a future where nobody is killed or seriously injured in crashes in Aotearoa. You can find out more about the improvements coming as part of the Road to Zero Speed and Infrastructure Programme below. From next week, these newsletters will be sent fortnightly. To keep up to date in between issues, keep an eye on our website and the Waka Kotahi – Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter at @WakaKotahiCNI. |
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Highway snapshotLatest information as at 5:00pm, Friday 21 April. Highway access maps are available on the Waka Kotahi website. State Highway 2
State Highway 5
State Highway 38
State Highway 50
State Highway 51
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State Highway 5 |
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Teams are making good progress repairing State Highway 5. There are 32 damaged sites along the route, ranging from minor dropouts to significant under-slips and washouts. The major drop-out between Te Pōhue and Glengarry is being filled and we now expect to have this section of the road restored by the end of June. Temporary work to protect the highway from scour by the Mangapikopiko Stream is also underway. We are working on the design for fixes to an underslip at Eland and scour at Te Haroto, both of which have reduced the highway to one lane. We expect to start work at Eland in the first week of May and at Te Haroto in the second week of May. Looking further ahead, we plan to start a series of safety improvements along the route in September. Improvements will include a wide centre line, warning signs, shoulder widening, road marking and roadside barriers. The work should be complete by March 2024. |
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State Highway 2 |
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This week, our crews are focused on safety works between Waikoau Hill and Putorino, repairing smaller dropouts, patch sealing of parts of the road that have eroded, and installing guard rails around a number of larger dropouts. Teams will also be clearing silt and debris from culverts and drains. Piers are in place for the Bailey bridge at Waikare Gorge and the next step will be constructing and installing the bridge platform. The bridge components will be arriving onsite in the next week and construction is scheduled to begin on Wednesday 26 April. We expect that the bridge will take around 10 days to put together. Once the bridge is in place, we will continue working on the approaches to the bridge. This will include excavating, placing subbase and basecourse material, asphalt work and traffic management installation. We'll also be placing rock protection, forming water tables, installing guard rails, and carrying out a road safety inspection. This phase is expected to take three to four weeks. The project has experienced some delays due to supply challenges and wet weather, however, we are working hard to open the bridge by the end of May. “Restoring access to the communities living alongside this section of SH2 has been, and continues to be, one of our most significant priorities in this recovery,” says Waka Kotahi Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations Jaclyn Hankin. “We’re incredibly grateful for their patience so far; it’s not something we take for granted and we’re doing everything we can to get the work done as fast as we can do so safely.” |
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Image: The approach to the Esk River Bridge on State Highway 2 Night closures of Esk River Bridge coming upFrom April 30 to May 21, the Esk River Bridge will be closed overnight (9pm to 5am) from Sunday to Thursday. Contractors will be undertaking strengthening work, including installing carbon fibre strips and steel dowels into the top of the bridge deck and undertaking repairs to the underside of the bridge. The bridge will remain open during daytime hours, though there may be occasional work that will require one lane to be closed. Until that work is complete, the 30km/h speed limit will remain in place to keep vibrations to a minimum and reduce additional wear and tear on the bridge structure. While the temporary speed limit can be frustrating, it's there for your safety. Don't exceed the temporary speed limit. Doing this work now will keep disruption to a minimum, with SH2 still closed to the public and a limited number of trucks using the road at night. Thank you for your patience as we make the state highway safer and more resilient. |
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State Highway 51 |
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Waitangi Bridge on SH51 between Napier and Clive will be closed between 8pm on Wednesday 26 April and 5am on Thursday 27 April to allow contractors to clear the remaining debris from around the bridge. Teams will also be replacing part of the barrier between the walkway and the road that was damaged in the cyclone. The Napier-Hastings Expressway is available as a detour. |
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The Awatoto Road intersection on State Highway 51 En route to a safer highwayWe’re working to improve the safety of State Highway 51, with a range of changes coming to the section between Ellison Road and the Ngaruroro Bridge. Improvements will include a new roundabout to provide safer access to and from Awatoto Road, flexible median barriers to prevent head on crashes, side barriers and wider centre lines. Construction will be tackled in three stages, with the first stage kicking off on May 8. This will include a temporary roundabout at Awatoto Road intersection, road widening and the installation of median barriers and side barriers. The SH51/Waitangi Road intersection will change to one-way ‘in only’ to improve safety at the rail level crossing, while beach access and the entry to businesses will change to ‘left in/left out’ treatments for existing beach accesses and businesses. Stage 1 is expected to be completed in late July. Traffic management and temporary speed limits will be in place for the duration of the work. We don’t expect major disruption to the traffic flow, but please allow for short delays. SH51 between Ellison Street and Farndon Road will be closed overnight on 8,9 and 10 May while the temporary roundabout is installed. Find more information about the project, including maps illustrating the stage 1 works, on the Waka Kotahi website. |
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Keep up to date |
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It’s a challenging time to travel around Hawke’s Bay. Please plan ahead and drive to the conditions.
Traffic updates: Hawke’s Bay |
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More information |
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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 |
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Subscribing to this newsletterAs 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. |
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