This Week's Summary

Kenepuru Road to the Heads, and its side roads remain restricted to residents, emergency and essential services.

Daltons Bridge, near Kaiuma Bay Road, is currently closed to heavy vehicles over 3500kg and a diversion is in place via Te Hoiere Road.

A bridge closure to all traffic at Daltons Bridge will start on Monday 1 July for bridge abutment repairs. This closure will be in place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please see the road closure section for more information. 

Multiple work sites on Queen Charlotte Drive between the mechanically stabilised earth (MSE) wall site near Cullen Point and Ngakuta Bay remain in place. Please factor more time into your travel plans and expect delays. Worksite locations include:

• The MSE wall near Cullen Point (approx 1.7km from SH6/Havelock turnoff).
• The installation of a new retaining wall, 500m prior to Moenui Road when travelling towards Picton. 
• The installation of a new culvert near Moenui Road.
• The construction of a retaining wall 450m past Aussie Bay when travelling towards Picton.
• The construction of a retaining wall, 1.3km prior to Ngakuta Bay when travelling towards Picton.

Works at the above locations are under stop/go traffic management, please expect delays.

Work on the new boat ramp in French Pass township began this week and is scheduled to take approximately two weeks to complete.

Work to build a new retaining wall just prior to Portage near the Torea Road intersection, on Kenepuru Road continues.

The construction of a retaining wall and installation of a culvert 4km from the Picton end of Port Underwood Road, near Whatamango Bay has been completed.

Work to build a new bridge, upstream of the current temporary bailey bridge on Waihopai Valley Road is underway.

Please ensure you keep to the reduced temporary speed limits when travelling through worksites to ensure the safety of our crews and road users. We thank you for your patience.

When walking near or through our worksites, please keep animals on a leash. 

Keep reading for information on:

• Contact Information 
• Sounds roading recovery moves forward
• Kenepuru Road Restrictions
• Road Closures
• Road Restrictions
• Resident Definition
• French Pass
• Kenepuru Road
• Northbank
• Pelorus
• Port Underwood Road 
• Queen Charlotte Drive
• Waihopai Valley

Contact Information

Phone: 0800 213 213 or 03 520 8024, between 8.30am - 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Email: recovery@marlboroughroads.com

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

For more information:

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. 

Sounds roading recovery moves forward

Mayor Nadine Taylor and councillors discussed the 365 public submissions received on Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP) 2024 to 2034 on Monday 24 June.

Following deliberation, Council has agreed to progess the Sounds roading recovery with a number of changes made to the proposals in the LTP Consultation Document.

The recommendations include adopting Option 2(d) from the LTP Consultation Document for the recovery funding, with the following three amendments:
• All marine costs are now excluded from the LTP except $500k for a targeted study, thereby reducing the current uncertainty on the scope and viability of any future marine works;
• Tranches 1 and 2 road repairs expenditure were included in the calculation of the cost share allocation between the Sounds’ zones;
• Increase the proportion paid by non-Sounds residents to 74.5% of Marlborough's contribution to the repairs.

A funding application has now been sumbitted to NZ Transport Agency, Waka Kotahi for the Sounds roading recovery repair works, totalling $141M. 

For more information on the Long Term Plan visit the Council's website.

View Council's full media release here.

Road Closure

Daltons Bridge, Pelorus

Daltons Bridge is currently closed to heavy vehicles over 3500kg. A detour is in place via Te Hoiere Road for all heavy traffic.

From Monday 1 July Dalton's Bridge will be closed to all traffic to allow for bridge abutment repairs. This closure will be in place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These works are expected to take approximately six weeks.

Kenepuru Road Restrictions

Kenepuru Road to the Heads, and its side roads remain restricted to residents, emergency and essential services. 

These roads have severe storm damage and entry into this section of Kenepuru Road is at resident and emergency or essential service drivers' discretion. 

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

Residents vehicles up to 12.6m in length, and 6 tonne in weight can travel on Kenepuru Road and the following side roads; Mahau Road, Torea Road and Moetapu Bay Road as far as Double Bay Reserve. 

This means residents can access boat launching areas at Double Bay Reserve, Torea and at Portage. 

On all other side roads, between Kenepuru Road to the Heads no vehicles over 8m in length or 3.5 tonne in weight are permitted. 

The Marlborough District Council's barge subsidy is available for resident's vehicles that are outside these dimensions.

The Council's water taxi subsidy is available for residents, workers and visitors to areas in the Marlborough Sounds that were previously accessible by road. 

For more information on the Council's transport subsidies visit their website. 

For a full list of what is deemed an emergency or essential service visit the Council's website.

The following restrictions apply on this section of Kenepuru Road and it's side roads including Moetapu Bay Road;

• No campervans, vans or buses.
• Only 4WD and light vehicles.
• On Kenepuru Road to the Heads, Torea Road, Mahau Road and Moetapu Bay Road to Double Bay Reserve, no vehicles over 12.6m in length or 6 tonne in weight. 

On all side roads off Kenepuru Road to the Heads, excluding Torea Road, Mahau Road and Moetapu Bay Road to Double Bay Reserve, no vehicles more than 8 metres in length or 3.5 tonne.

Residents only are permitted to walk and cycle on the restricted access section of Kenepuru Road and Moetapu Bay Road.

There are the following hazards on this section of Kenepuru Road and Moetapu Bay Road;

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

Road Restrictions

Queen Charlotte Drive between Linkwater and Picton is open to all vehicles less than 12.6m. Vehicles over 12.6m must obtain a permit to drive on this section of Queen Charlotte Drive. These permits can be obtained by emailing the Marlborough Roads NZTA office on MRoadsadmin@nzta.govt.nz.

Anakiwa Road is open to vehicles less than 12.6m. Beyond Tirimoana Jetty, only light vehicles weighing less than 3.5 tonnes are allowed, unless by prior arrangement.

French Pass and Tennyson Inlet are accessible, but drivers should be aware that the road is narrower than usual in some sections.

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.

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

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

Resident Definition

The definition of a resident, in terms of who is able to access roads restricted to resident and emergency services is; 

A permanent resident, owner of a holiday home/bach, or the owner of a commercial interest.

It does not include visitors who are hiring or renting a holiday home or bach, where rental arrangements have been made through either a property letting agency or directly with the owner. 

French Pass

Work on the new boat ramp in French Pass township began this week and is planned to be completed by the end of next week. Boat owners are advised to use the Okiwi Bay boat ramp over this period.

Investigative drilling work has now been completed on Croisilles-French Pass Road and Croisilles Road.

Kenepuru

Work on Kenepuru Road to install an anchored retaining wall just prior to Portage, near the Torea Road intersection continues. This week micropile and anchor testing will be undertaken along with excavation for the micropile casings. Next week the construction of a reinforcing cage is planned. 

Bund clearance was carried out this week between Portage and just prior to Te Mahia. Next week this work is scheduled to be carried out between Portage and The Heads.

This week and next week sealing is planned between The Heads and Raetihi (weather permitting).

Pavement construction was undertaken this week between Cowshed Bay and Mahau Road. Next week this work is scheduled between Mahau Road through to the start of Kenepuru Road. 

All the above works are under stop/go traffic management operating between 7.30am and 5pm, with minor delays expected. 

Northbank

Linemarking was completed last week at Northbank Road, 1.5km past Fabions Valley Road. 

For your safety, and that of other road users please ensure you adhere to the traffic lights on Northbank Road, 17.5km from the start of the road. The lights are required due to unstable rock on the bluff and slopes at the site. The lights are positioned so that vehicles are stopped in low risk areas. We are regularly monitoring the lights to make sure they are operational. This is a complex site and our design and construction teams are working hard to find the most appropriate solution. Once the preferred option is selected, works will begin and the traffic lights will be removed. 

Pelorus

Daltons Bridge is currently closed to heavy vehicles over 3500kg. A detour is in place via Te Hoiere Road for all heavy traffic.

From Monday 1 July, Daltons Bridge will be closed to all traffic 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to allow for bridge abutment repairs. These works are expected to take approximately six weeks.

Next week, crews will also be working at Kaiuma Bay Bridge, 2km prior to the Kaiuma Bay settlement. Crews will be working in the river to undertake scour protection at this site. 

Port Underwood Road

The construction of a retaining wall and installation of a culvert approximately 4km from the Picton end of Port Underwood Road, near Whatamango Bay is nearly complete.

The site has a temporary speed limit of 30km which will be in place until sweeping is undertaken. 

Chip sealing at the new retaining wall site on Port Underwood Road

Queen Charlotte Drive

There are multiple recovery sites under construction along the length of Queen Charlotte Drive. Work at these sites is under stop/go traffic management, please expect delays. 

Crews continue working on the construction of a mechanically stabilised earth (MSE) wall from the base upwards on Queen Charlotte Drive (approximately 1.7km from the SH6/Havelock turnoff) near Cullen Point, Mahakipawa Hill. 

A new worksite has been established 500m prior to Moenui Road when travelling towards Picton, with the installation of a new retaining wall underway. Crews are augering and installing piles at this location. 

Work to install a new culvert and repair the road continues, just prior to Moenui Road when travelling from Havelock. Last week the ground beam anchors and a hand rail were installed as well as concrete poured for boxing. This week and next work will continue on the ground beam construction and installation of soil nails, for the remainder of the upstream slope protection. 

Current works are completed at the road retreat site, 180m past Tepuia Heights on Queen Charlotte Drive, with the boundary fence finished this week. Crews will return at later dates for line marking and to undertake planting in Spring. 

Work continues 450m past Aussie Bay at the second retaining wall site. This week crews have continued to work on backfilling the wall. These works will continue next week as weather allows.  

The construction of a retaining wall, 1.3km prior to Ngakuta Bay when travelling towards Picton is underway. Last week the site was established and excavated, this week drilling works have commenced. 

Please note there will be increased truck movements while work is being carried out. Please plan ahead for delays.

Please keep to the reduced temporary speed limits when you're travelling through our worksites to ensure the safety of crews and road users. We thank you for your patience.

Backfilling and handrail construction at the wall near Aussie Bay

Site clearance work at the new retaining wall site near Ngakuta Bay

Waihopai Valley

Last week and this week crews have been working on the foundation piles at the new bridge site on Waihopai Valley Road. Concrete work has also been undertaken this week. 

The current bailey bridge will continue to operate as crews build the new bridge. Please expect increased activity around this area. 

Drilling of foundation piles at the new bridge site