TREC Hawke's Bay recovery update

Issue 21

6 June 2025

Tēnā koe,

As we move into winter, TREC and our local contractors continue to make strong progress on recovery work across Hawke’s Bay. From major repair efforts at Devil’s Elbow to bridge repairs, slip stabilisation, and rapid weekend rail works, the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle continues to be repaired.

This update highlights key milestones, current activity, and what’s coming up next on both road and rail.

Making progress at Devil’s Elbow

Our work at Devil’s Elbow on State Highway 2 (SH2) has reached a milestone.

The team has completed the lower section, successfully delivering Projects D, K, O, F, P, and G. And in the upper section, crews have also finished Projects R, L, and H. That’s 9 projects from a total of 11 at Devil’s Elbow that are now complete. See our map below.

Our focus is now on Project I, the final (and most complex) site, and finishing off work at Project J.

Devil's Corner Project I: Piles of piles

The team has completed installing 32 piles onsite. The piles are driven 9m deep into the ground that has been geo-tested before drilling begins. Due to the geology throughout the region there can still be challenges.  Below is a timelapse video of the installation.

Devil's Corner Project I: Building the wall

The team is currently pouring a ‘capping beam’, which ties the piles together and forms a key part of the overall structure. Once this step is complete, we will begin building a Mechanically Stabilised Earth (MSE) wall, which is a type of retaining wall.

Crews will construct the wall in 600mm layers, using rip rap (large rocks) in small baskets with reinforced plastic strips to stabilise the slope. These materials work together to strengthen the wall from its face to an anchored shotcrete wall on the hillside. An anchoring system will tie the wall back to the hillside, locking it in place. This will create a solid foundation for the road surface that will follow once the wall is built.

The team expects to build the wall between August and October. From October, the final part will be constructing the road surface and connecting it to the current road alignment.

By the end of the year, the team will complete this critical infrastructure project, improving safety and resilience along this key route and reopening the whole Devil’s Elbow area back to 2 lanes.

Preparation work before pouring the capping beam.

Tutaekuri Bridge (Waitangi) on SH51 – what people driving and using the cycle path need to know

Final planning is now underway for permanent Cyclone Gabrielle repairs to the Tutaekuri Bridge on State Highway 51 (SH51), with construction scheduled to begin early August.

The repairs will focus on 2 key tasks: removing debris left by the cyclone, and replacing damaged bracing beams to restore the structural integrity of the bridge.

What you need to know:

• Cycle path stays open: Cyclists will still be able to use the path during the works. A designated green zone will be in place to ensure safe and clear access.
• Minimal disruption for drivers: Most of the work will be out of sight from the road. However, a reduced speed limit will be enforced for safety.
• Temporary stop/go: During the removal and installation of the bracing beams, stop/go traffic management will be in place. These periods will be brief and clearly signposted.
• Rail bridge activity: At some stages, road users may also notice activity on Rail Bridge 217 that runs parallel to the road bridge. Work is being coordinated across both structures by TREC.

The project is expected to be completed by December 2025.

We appreciate your patience as these essential repairs are carried out to ensure the long-term safety and reliability of this key transport link.

More details will be communicated nearer the time.

Weekend warriors: drainage repairs at pace

Local contractor teams from Galbraith together with KiwiRail track gangs worked at speed on drainage repairs when KiwiRail recently closed a section of the Palmerston North to Gisborne line between Friday night and Monday morning just outside Woodville.

Working as ‘mirror’ crews, the team installed 2 new culverts in record time - less than 12 hours. This meant no disruption to freight trains, which maintained their usual schedule.

Separate drain laying and earthworks crews meant the team could work simultaneously to get the job done efficiently.

The culverts were being installed to help keep water off the rail line and channel the water to prevent soil scour on the rail embankment. 

Great collaboration between TREC, KiwiRail and contractors produced great results.

The team installing one of the culverts.

SH2 Sandy Creek repairs complete

Repairs at Sandy Creek on SH2 are now finished. Rope crews stabilised 3 typical underslips by drilling soil anchors into the hillside beneath the road. One site has visible drainage, a key feature for improving resilience during future rain events.

SH2 Mohaka Rail Viaduct: underslip repairs in progress

Crews are stabilising a steep underslip near the Mohaka Rail Viaduct on SH2 where a guardrail once hung from the road’s edge. Working in extremely narrow conditions, they’ve installed soil anchors and drainage to secure the hillside and improve resilience.

Please be patient and obey traffic signals to help keep crew and road users safe.

Follow TREC progress on an interactive map

TREC and local contractors continue to make solid progress to complete Cyclone Gabrielle recovery work on state highways and rail in Hawke’s Bay.  Construction is now complete on 76% of the state highway recovery projects in the region (faults we have fixed). And KiwiRail work is progressing well.

Keen to see what’s done, where we’re working now, and what TREC work is coming up next?  Check out the map – it’s updated fortnightly.

Site Snapshot

SH2 Hawke's Bay North

• We have completed the micro piling for the underslip repairs at Mohaka Rail Viaduct. Capping beam and soil anchor installation is ongoing. Project completion is currently on track for mid-August. 
• Slip stabilisation at Sandy Creek was completed in May (more above).
• The road surface where we installed the sheetpiling retaining wall at Sandy Creek will be renewed next spring, taking advantage of better weather conditions so the road surface has the best chance of longevity.
• White Pine Bush underslip repairs are expected to begin late August.
• Lake Tūtira underslip repairs are expected to begin in August.

SH5 Napier to Taupō

• Piling works are complete and the team is constructing the retaining wall at the largest of the 3 underslips at Māori Gully. 
• Tarawera Culvert repairs will begin in the second half of the year.
• Captain’s Culvert and Eskdale Substation shoulder repairs will begin in spring.

SH2, SH50, SH51 Hawke’s Bay South

• At State Highway 50 (SH50) Glencoe Gorge underslip repairs are going well with the foundation layer of Ecoreef blocks being filled. We’ve completed installing the Ecoreef blocks, and expect to complete the remainder of the project by end of June.
• Tutaekuri (Waitangi) Bridge on SH51 repairs are planned to start in August (see above).

SH38

• Tarapatiki underslip repairs are complete

Rail progress

We've added the site numbers, so you can see the locations on our interactive map. This map is updated every 2 weeks.

Three sites are underway: 

• We are repairing the washout to embankment and drainage near Dannevirke (A3007). 
• We are finishing the final stages of this shallow landslide site south of Kopua (A3016).
• We are clearing debris before installing scour protection at this overslip site at Pekapeka Regional Park south of Hastings. We are also drilling soil anchors for protection against scour (A3022).

One site coming soon:

• Near Makotuku we will repair a shallow landslide above the track and the overland drainage. 

Hastings south culvert improvements

• Over the next few months, we will be replacing 9 culverts underneath the rail lines. We have completed 4 culverts, and have 1 in construction at Matotuku (A9070).

Bridge 217 (beside Tutaekuri Bridge on SH51) repairs are expected to begin in late winter.

Whakapā mai – Get in touch

• Email us
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Call us: 0800 80 TREC (0800 80 8732)

If you spot an issue at a work site after hours, call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 444449).

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• TREC Pānui
• TREC Hawke's Bay regional update
• TREC Tairāwhiti regional update
• NZTA Connecting Hawke's Bay

Local road network

Hawke’s Bay councils are responsible for local roading recovery projects.

• Napier City Council
• Hastings District Council
• Wairoa District Council
• Central HB District Council