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Tairāwhiti/Gisborne & Eastern Bay of Plenty combined state highway updateWeather event response |
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19 February 2026 |
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Community update 18Kia ora koutou, Today’s community update covers the latest on the state highway network in Tairāwhiti and Eastern Bay of Plenty. Our updates focus specifically on the latest emergency response information for State Highway 2 (SH2) Waioweka Gorge and State Highway 35 (SH35) between Pōtaka and Tikitiki. We know how important SH2 in Hawke’s Bay is for road users and have also included some information about upcoming works at Devil’s Elbow below. If you're travelling tonight and tomorrow, please drive with extra care and make sure to check Journey Planner or Facebook before you go for the most up-to-date state highway conditions. Please be aware that things can change quickly due to weather or other unexpected issues. Information is current as at 6.30PM Thursday 19 February |
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Current situation
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SH2 Waioweka GorgeYesterday and today our crews have been working hard to widen the road at the Goldsmiths slip site. They have now moved the barriers near the Waioweka Monument slip site to form a debris catch zone. More signs and cones will be placed around the slip. The full daily convoy schedule from 7am resumed today, Thursday 19 February and will continue while work progresses (7 days a week): Gisborne bound:
Ōpōtiki bound:
Single-lane areas remain, including the narrowest point at Goldsmiths (4.5m). Convoys are likely to continue for at least another 2 weeks while work continues at the Goldsmith slip site. We’d like to remind people that SH2 through the gorge is still fragile, and convoys may need to be cancelled at very short notice. Convoys are for essential travel only and will only proceed if safe to do so. Please follow the direction of the crew on the ground at all times. Please continue to check the NZTA Waikato and Bay of Plenty Facebook page for latest updates on the convoys. |
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SH35 Tairāwhiti updateState Highway 35 between Pōtaka and Te Araroa reopened to road users this morning. All sections of SH35 are now open. There are some vehicle and time restrictions on this stretch of road. Pōtaka and Te Araroa is open between 7am and 7pm. Expect 45-minute delays on top of your normal travel times. There are reduced temporary speed limits along with other traffic management – temporary traffic lights at 5 single lane sections of the road, as well as stop/go where are roadworkers are onsite and working. There are still a lot of active work sites and roadworkers will be at the roadside clearing debris, improving drainage, and opening culverts. You need to travel with extreme care, follow all instructions you receive from roadworkers, and be considerate of the workers as you travel through worksites. SH35 is still in a fragile state, and we may need to close it again at short notice. Just as we’ve seen with SH2 through Waioweka Gorge, conditions can change quickly. We’re doing everything we can to minimise disruption to you. Thanks our crews who have worked tirelessly to get the road open and reconnect our communities along SH35. And thanks to the local community for your patience during this disruption, we know it hasn’t been easy, and your understanding has helped keep everyone safe. Potaka to Hicks Bay Truck and trailer units and vehicles weighing more than 18-tonnes can’t travel from Pōtaka to Hicks Bay. While SH35 is an approved HPMV route it is not suitable for truck and trailer units on this section at this point. You will not get through simply due to the current road condition. Crews are making good progress at the Waikura underslip, continuing to widen the road and strengthen it to make it more resilient. Hicks Bay to Te Araroa Geotech will be onsite and monitoring the Punaruku slip while the road is open. There are no weight or length restriction needed for this stretch of road but, there are single-lane areas and the narrowest section is 3-metres wide and on a tight corner so please take extreme care. |
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People travelling on SH35 |
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Upcoming night closures on SH2 in Hawke’s BayFrom this Sunday (22 February) until 13 March, the Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) team will be asphalting a section of SH2 at Devil’s Elbow, Hawke’s Bay during night closures. This work was postponed from mid-January when SH2 through Waioweka Gorge was fully closed. The road between Waikoau Hill and Aropaoanui Road at Tangoio, will be closed in both directions 9pm to 5am Sunday to Thursday nights (five nights each week, reopening 5am Friday). It will remain open Friday and Saturday nights.
This critical road rebuild must be completed with the right weather conditions and surface temperatures. During these closures, NZTA will closely monitor progress on SH2 at Waioweka Gorge. We may need to adjust the schedule at Devil’s Elbow accordingly, for example, if there are closures or changes to convoys through the gorge. Keep an eye on Journey Planner or Facebook. Thanks for your patience while this final phase of Cyclone Gabrielle recovery work is underway at Devil’s Elbow. Any questions, please email info@trec.nz. Final asphalting on Devil’s Elbow, SH2 all set for Sunday | NZTA Journey Planner |
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Community travel informationWe encourage you to plan ahead, or delay your journey, if possible. If you do need to travel on the roads, please drive with extra care and make sure to check Journey Planner or Facebook before you go for the latest state highway conditions. If you see any issues on the state highways, report them to 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49) |
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Ngā mihi nuiThank you for your patience while we work to restore access. Thank you for supporting the teams working hard to reconnect Tairāwhiti and the Eastern Bay of Plenty. |
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