July 2021

Tēnā koe,

Recent weather events have demonstrated why the Connecting Tairāwhiti programme is so important for building resilience on State Highways 35. 

Last week's snow event has caused disruption and earlier in June, the East Coast was hit with up to 300ml of rain in some isolated spots.

State Highway 35 was closed due to flooding in Tokomaru Bay, and due to a slip in Potaka (both sites are now open) and resilience repairs are taking place at multiple sites.

See more below on the effort to keep State Highway 35 operational. 

Above: Construction has progressed on the Wharerata slow vehicle bay. Below: A hui at Rangiwaho Marae on safety improvements and hapū members, Waka Kotahi, Downer and Stantec representatives at the nearby Wharerata Lookout.

SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS IN WHARERATA RANGES

State Highway 2 through the Wharerata Ranges, south of Gisborne, is steep and windy and drivers can become frustrated when they are stuck behind a slow-moving truck.

In March, a blessing was held nearby at Te Taumata o Wharerata (Wharerata Lookout) led by Rangiwaho Marae (Ngai Tāmanuhiri) to mark the beginning of the work, which is expected to be completed by mid-October.

We have now completed earthworks south of the Wharerata lookout and as planned, we've paused construction during winter as wet weather can cause difficult and unsafe conditions. 

A 70km speed restriction will be in place at the unmanned site until contractors return to construct the pavement and road surface in September in the warmer and dryer weather.

More than 13,000m3 of hill side has been removed to make way for the Raupunga realignment.

REALIGNMENT TO PROTECT RAUPUNGA TOWNSHIP

Construction is progressing well on a significant realignment on State Highway 2 at Raupunga, between Napier and Wairoa, which will protect the township and State Highway 2 from erosion caused by the Mohaka awa.

We have excavated around 13,000m3 of hill side to move 600m of State Highway 2 away from the Mohaka River and are building a retaining wall along the rail line above the realignment.

Tahaenui Bridge was the last single-lane bridge on State Highway Two.

JOINING NEW TO OLD AT TAHAENUI BRIDGE

Tahaenui Bridge, near Nūhaka, is the last single-lane bridge on State Highway 2 between Napier and Gisborne, which was reduced to single lane after a serious crash in 2018 and other concerns about safety.

In mid-May a crane lifted new bridge beams on either side of the existing bridge deck into place. 

At the start of June, concrete was poured to join the new bridge decks to the existing bridge. 

We expect the $2.2m project, funded by the regional package of the NZ Upgrade Programme, to be completed by the end of July, including improvements to the entrance of nearby Te Manutai Marae.

Ina Huata is working on the Raupunga realignment with Higgins - supporting traffic management and engaging the community in the project. Click the image above to check out the video.

FROM THE SITE

Waka Kotahi is partnering with a number of local consulting and contracting companies to deliver the Connecting Tairāwhiti programme. Here's a project Waka Kotahi is working on with contractor Higgins that is benefiting a Hawke's Bay community...

Waka Kotahi held a community barbecue in January to let the Raupunga community know more about the realignment project that would move State Highway 2 away from the Mohaka River.

Raupunga local, Ina Huata, approached Waka Kotahi at the event to ask if there were any jobs going on the project. She had more than a decade of traffic management and roading construction experience and she was keen to work. 

Both Waka Kotahi and contractor Higgins aim to make a wider contribution to the communities they work within and, as a Raupunga local, Ina was the perfect person to help engage the Raupunga community in this important project. 

To hear more about the work Ina is now doing on the project check out the video here. 

RING, RING: MOBILE LAYBY COMING...

Making our roads safer is Waka Kotahi’s top priority.

Phone reception is patchy on State Highway 2 between Napier and Gisborne and some drivers stop in dangerous places to check phone messages or make a call.

Waka Kotahi is constructing two mobile laybys at Tarewa Road and Maraenui Road, between Gisborne and Nūhaka, which will provide safe areas for drivers to pull over to check their phone or take a break.

Earthworks have been completed and the mobile laybys are about to be sealed, with signage being installed to indicate where it is safe to pull over.

Around 10 mobile laybys are planned over the next few years as part of the SH2/SH35 Passing Opportunities project. For more information on this project visit our website here.

Left: New seal on Kotemāori slow vehicle bay looking North. Right: Looking south.

KOTEMĀORI SLOW VEHICLE BAY NEARS COMPLETION

In December 2020, work started on a slow vehicle bay just north of Kotemāori on State Highway 2 - the first of the SH2/SH35 Passing Opportunity sites to commence.

The finishing touches, including seal, fencing and safety barriers are currently being applied before the slow vehicle bay is expected to open in early July.

The slow vehicle bay will allow slower vehicles to pull over so faster vehicles can pass safely on steep and windy roads.

The SH2/SH35 Passing Opportunity project, funded by the Provincial Growth Fund and National Land Transport Fund, is constructing more than 20 slow vehicle bays over the next few years on SH2 and SH35.

The good and the not so good of Waioeka Gorge - tell us about your experience with Waoieka Gorge closures.

Tell us your experiences with Waioeka Gorge closures

State Highway 2 through the Waioeka Gorge is the main route between Gisborne and Ōpōtiki.

However, due to its geology, topography and climate conditions, the road is vulnerable to slips and rockfalls which can result in lengthy road closures.

The business case we’re putting together will make recommendations for how best to address the highest-risk sites through the Waioeka Gorge.

To help us develop this, we’re looking for stories from everyday people about their experiences with Waioeka Gorge closures. What impact did it have on your life, your whānau or your business?

Share your thoughts with us here.

GOING LOCAL IN TAIRĀWHITI

Connecting Tairāwhiti aims to drive economic growth and attract investment in the region.

This is being achieved by working with Central Government and spreading work from the programme across a number of engineering consultants, contractors and material suppliers.

Here are some of the great companies we are working with:

In other news...

Waka Kotahi quickly responded to damage caused by the recent weather event. The road at Turihaua is now restored to two lanes, with a 50km speed restriction in place until repairs are complete.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO SH35 WEATHER EVENTS

Turihaua Point (North of Gisborne) - The road is now open to two lanes with a 50km/h speed restriction in place until the shoulder is sealed. This will happen when the weather is clearer with higher overnight temperatures.

Emergency repair works have taken place after an underslip was caused by the large storm surge combined with a high tide. We thank contractors for their hard work and the public for their patience.

New Paroa Station farm manager, Mike Atkins, was quick to strengthen fencing to prevent stock wandering.

FARMER PREVENTS STOCK WANDERING ON SH35

Waka Kotahi is praising a local East Coast farmer for taking fast action to strengthen fencing on his property to prevent livestock from wandering onto State Highway 35.

Paroa Station, north of Tolaga Bay, recently came into new ownership, and farm manager Mike Atkins quickly identified that the fencing surrounding the property on State Highway 35 was not secure and took action to fix the problem, with the farm owners footing the cost.

“I’ve seen first-hand the damage that can be caused by a vehicle colliding with a cow, and I didn’t want to be responsible for that. As farmers, we all have a responsibility to ensure our stock can’t get out and endanger people on the roads,” Mr Atkins says.

“The fencing I put up around the farm wasn’t difficult to install. It does the job well and keeps my stock in. The only thing likely to get out of the property now is a rat.”

To read more about this issue check out Waka Kotahi’s media release here.

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MORE INFORMATION

For more information or to give feedback email ConnectingTairawhiti@nzta.govt.nz

Explore our Connecting Tairawhiti map 

Visit our Connecting Tairāwhiti website

Visit our Passing Opportunities webpage 

Visit our Resilience webpage

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