This Week's Summary

No recovery road works will be carried out over the Easter long weekend, works are planned to resume on Tuesday 2 April. 

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

There are road closures planned on Queen Charlotte Drive between the Picton Lookout and Shakespeare Bay from 8 to 19 April. Please see the road closure section for more information. 

Multiple work sites on Queen Charlotte Drive between the new MSE wall site near Cullen Point through to Governors Bay remain in place. Please factor more time into your travel plans and expect delays. Worksite locations include:

• MSE wall near Cullen Point (approx 1.7km from SH6/Havelock turnoff).
• The installation of a new culvert near Moenui Road.
• The installation of two railway iron walls approximately 1.9km and 2.1km past Tepuia Heights, when travelling towards Picton.
• Drainage upgrades and repair of a drop-out, 750m past The Grove Jetty when travelling towards Picton.
• The construction of a retaining wall 450m past Aussie Bay when travelling towards Picton.
• Road realignment and slip repairs at Governors Bay. 

Works at the above locations are under stop/go traffic management.

On Wednesday 3 April, a road closure with openings on the hour, is planned to carry out maintenance works on the bailey bridge on Waihopai Valley Road, 30km from the SH63 turnoff. Please see the road closure section for more information. 

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.

Keep reading for information on:

• Road Closures
• Kenepuru Road Restrictions
• Other Road Restrictions
• Resident Definition
• Awatere Valley 
• French Pass
• Kenepuru Road
• Northbank
• Port Underwood Road 
• Queen Charlotte Drive
• Waihopai Valley Road 
• Ward

Road Closures

Queen Charlotte Drive 

From 8 to 19 April, road closures are planned on Queen Charlotte Drive between the Picton Lookout and Shakespeare Bay at the following days/times:

• Monday to Friday
• 7am to 9am up to 10 minute delays
• 9am to 3pm openings on the hour, every hour to clear waiting traffic. 

Please be aware that it can take some time to clear the queues, so you may not travel through the site exactly on the hour. 

Waihopai Valley Road 

Wednesday 3 April, a road closure is planned to carry out maintenance works on Waihopai Bailey Bridge, 30km from the SH63 turnoff:

• 9am to 3pm with openings on the hour, every hour to clear waiting traffic.

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, Portage and along Mahau Road.

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.

Other Road Restrictions

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

Please note there is no longer a requirement for vehicles over 12.6m to be piloted on Queen Charlotte Drive. 

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. 

Awatere Valley

Sealing works are planned on sections of Awatere Valley Road between the Medway Road turnoff and Molesworth, Wednesday to Friday next week. These works will be under stop/go traffic management and are weather dependent.

French Pass

Works for the new boat ramp in French Pass township are now planned for late June 2024 (previously notified as March). This will allow crews to work in with tide times. More information will be shared in this update once the dates are confirmed.

Kenepuru Road

Works to build a new retaining wall just prior to Portage near the Torea Road intersection, on Kenepuru Road are planned to commence next week, after the Easter break.

These works will be carried out under stop/go traffic management.

Northbank

Chip sealing was carried out last week on Northbank Road, 22km from the SH6 turnoff. Works are now completed at this site. 

This week culvert repair works have been undertaken on Northbank Road, 150m prior to Pine Valley Road when travelling from SH6. 

Rock revetment works commenced last week, approximately 7km up Onamalutu Road from the Northbank Road turnoff. Works will continue at this location next week.  

These works will be carried out under stop/go traffic management.

Rock revetment works on Onamalutu Road

Port Underwood Road

The construction of a retaining wall and installation of a culvert is scheduled to begin on Port Underwood Road in the week starting 8 April. 

These works will be approximately 4km from the Picton end of Port Underwood Road, near Whatamango Bay.

These works will be under stop/go traffic management. 

Queen Charlotte Drive

From 8 to 19 April on weekdays, road closures are planned on Queen Charlotte Drive between the Picton Lookout and Shakespeare Bay between 9am to 3pm, with openings on the hour every hour. There will be delays of up to 10 minutes between 7am to 9am at this location. These closures are for Port Marlborough to undertake logging operations and the removal of wilding pines and wattles.

There are increased works along the length of Queen Charlotte Drive with multiple recovery sites under construction. These works will be under stop/go traffic management, please expect delays. 

Crews have been working on the construction of a MSE (Mechanically Stabilised Earth) wall and associated drainage upgrades on Queen Charlotte Drive (approximately 1.7km from the SH6/Havelock turnoff) near Cullen Point, Mahakipawa Hill.

Last week anchor drilling and the installation of wailers was carried out at this site. This week and next week crews will start building the downstream section of the wall. 

Works to install a new culvert and repair the road are continuing, just prior to Moenui Road, when travelling from Havelock. Last week backfilling and compacting was carried out. This week two further sections of the culvert have been installed. Next week works will continue to install the remaining sections of the culvert upstream.

The construction of two railway iron walls is being carried out approximately 1.9km and 2.1km past Tepuia Heights, on Queen Charlotte Drive when travelling towards Picton. Last week and this week preparations have been made for sealing. This week pavement reinstatement has been undertaken. The driving of railway irons and tie backs will be completed next week at the first site 1.9km from Tepuia Heights. Users of the Link Pathway will be guided through these sites by traffic management.

Works are being undertaken 750m past The Grove Jetty, when travelling towards Picton to complete drainage upgrades and repair a dropout. Last week and this week backfilling works and drainage works have been undertaken. Next week drainage works will continue with surfacing works to be carried out at this location shortly after. 

Works continue at a new retaining wall site, 450m past Aussie Bay. Last week crews installed a new culvert and site rail to the wall. Next week kerb preparation works are scheduled. 

Works to realign the road and repair a slip continue 70m past Governors Bay when travelling towards Picton. Last week crews drilled anchors on the slope below and prepared to lay mesh. This week crews continued to lay mesh in preparation to shotcrete the slope of the slip next week. They will also carry out earth works to create a retreat, on the uphill side of the repaired slip site. 

A third railway iron site, 450m before Moenui Road, when travelling towards Picton is scheduled to start, once works are completed on the two railway iron walls near Tepuia Heights. 

Please note there will be increased truck movements while these works are 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.

Preparing to backfill the culvert trench at Aussie Bay

Installation of anchors and wailers at the new retaining wall near Cullen Point 

Backfilling the drop-out near the Grove Jetty

Waihopai Valley Road

On Wednesday 3 April, a one day road closure is planned to carry out maintenance on the ramp onto the bailey bridge on Waihopai Valley Road, 30km from the SH63 turnoff.

Closures will be from 9am to 3pm, with openings on the hour, every hour to clear waiting traffic. 

Ward

Two sections of riverbank works, willow planting and backfilling have now been completed on the Ure River. 

More Information

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

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 8.00am - 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.

Email: recovery@marlboroughroads.com