Connecting Tairāwhiti

Project update

27 July 2023

Tēnā koe,

We're making progress on State Highway 2 (SH2) amid a busy and challenging wet-weather season.

State Highway 35 (SH35) is back open after being closed for 10 days while crews worked to remove the old beams from Hikuwai No.1 Bridge and complete the surfacing of the approaches at either end of the Bailey bridge.

The Transport Rebuild East Coast Alliance has now been formed and is a positive step forward for the Tairāwhiti region.

East Coast Recovery Alliance signing

The recovery of transport networks across Te Tairāwhiti and Te Matau a Māui – Hawke's Bay has taken another step forward with the signing of the agreement for the alliance.

The Transport Rebuild East Coast Alliance is a collaboration between Waka Kotahi, KiwiRail, Fulton Hogan, and the existing maintenance contractors for the two regions; Downer and Higgins. The alliance will lead the design and delivery of physical works on the state highway and rail networks over the coming years.

Waka Kotahi National Manager System Design Robyn Elston says a lot of work has gone into setting the alliance up for success since the interim agreement was signed in April and one of the key aspects of the alliance is the 'East Coast first' philosophy regarding how work will be delivered.

"The East Coast has a strong pool of hard-working, skilled, and experienced contractors, consultants, and businesses who understand both road building and the East Coast whenua. Locally owned and operated contractors will be prioritised when it comes to delivery of the physical works."

The alliance will also undertake the ongoing maintenance and operations requirements of the state highway network, continuing the recovery efforts that have been ongoing since February 2023. The alliance is expected to be in place for several years.

Image: The heavy beams from the old Hikuwai No.1 Bridge have been removed.

Cyclone-damaged Hikuwai No.1 Bridge removed by crane

The cyclone-damaged Hikuwai No.1 Bridge on SH35 north of Gisborne has been dismantled and taken away, and the road is back open.

A crane was used to remove the existing 31-metre long beams from the old bridge. These beams were sitting upstream from the new Bailey bridge that was opened last month.

It was important to remove the beams to take away any risk of them damaging the Bailey bridge in future weather events. The beams have since been transported to Gisborne. While onsite, crews also carried out some sealing, barrier installation and road marking works.

The Bailey bridge had to be closed to the public during this removal for safety, and we appreciate the community's patience during this time.

SH35 reopened on Thursday 27 July.

Watch: See our live stream of the site at Hikuwai No.1 Bridge on SH35.

SH2 Gisborne to Waioeka Gorge asphalting

We're continuing to make progress on the asphalting work on SH2, north of Gisborne.

These asphalting works are necessary to treat and essentially waterproof the surface of the state highway, which helps prevent potholes from developing. Asphalt can be laid in much cooler temperatures than a traditional chipseal, and it is put over the top of the existing seal without digging up the road.

We know how important this route is and it's important we improve the resilience of this key access corridor for the community, while keeping disruption to motorists at a minimum.

Over the past few months, our partners at Downer have completed 10,000 square metres of asphalt resurfacing on SH2 north of Gisborne at Ormond, Te Karaka, Waikohu and Otoko as well as an additional 10,000 square metres south of Gisborne and other priority sites impacted by recent severe weather, to improve the resilience of key access routes for Tairāwhiti.

Our asphalting programme will continue to complete the remaining 80,000 square metres of resurfacing required along SH2 between Gisborne and Waioeka.

What's coming up next with the asphalt programme

Next week, crews will complete enabling works at SH2 near Trafford's Hill and stop/go will be in place during the day (weather permitting) in preparation for upcoming night works.

For the asphalting works to be carried out near Trafford's Hill, night-time road closures will be required. At this stage, these closures will be SH2 at Trafford's Hill near Te Wera Road between 7pm and 5am from Monday 7 August to Thursday 10 August.

Night closures (7pm to 5am) will resume in this same area from Monday 14 August. Once this work is completed, crews will continue south to complete similar works at the remaining sites between Matawai and Gisborne. 

The asphalting programme is weather permitting, and any changes will be communicated in advance.

Please check Journey Planner before you travel: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/journey-planner

Image: The large boulder was removed by crews.

Progress update on SH2

Here's a snapshot of what's been happening:

• A large overhanging boulder was removed from a hillside at the Devil's Elbow area on 19 July to ensure that the road can be safely reopened to two lanes.
• The crack filling work under the Esk River Bridge is now set to begin in November/December. In the meantime, temporary traffic management has been lifted and the speed limit has been put back up to 100km/h.
• The road at White Pine Bush remains reduced to a single lane after an underslip has progressed into one lane of the highway. Our experts are monitoring the site and we are working on a solution to repair it.
• Final tidy-up works at Sandy Creek Bridge have been completed. This included barrier reinstatement, hydro-seeding, sweeping of beams under the bridge, and the widening of watercourse through the bridge.
• Under-scour repair work at the Karearea Stream Bridge between Tangoio and White Pine Bush is on track to be completed at the end of July. We will then be able to open the road back to two lanes.

State Highway 38 progress update

We've got good news on State Highway 38 (SH38), with repair works at the underslip next to the Waikaretaheke River underway now completed.

Repair works at a large underslip on the road (also at the Waikaretaheke River) are about to start. We need river levels to drop before beginning. The repair of the underslip near the intersection of SH38 and Titirangi Road (pre-cyclone damage) is expected to start once the underslip at the Waikaretaheke River has been fixed.

Pothole repairs a priority in Tairāwhiti

The wet weather over the past few weeks and months has kept maintenance crews busy dealing with surface flooding, slips, fallen trees, debris and road closures. Repairing potholes continues to be a priority.

Unfortunately it is not a surprise to see some of the newly-repaired potholes reopening soon after repair, such as on SH2 between Gisborne and Napier, with the sheer amount of water pressure the road is under.

It is essential potholes are repaired and filled as quickly as possible, for the safety of all road users.

While our road crews are out daily working to fill these holes, we're also encouraging road users to report the damage they see – call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS to report issues.

To learn more about our maintenance work, see our frequently asked questions here.

Watch: Winter can be hard on our roads and lead to potholes forming. Watch our video below to learn all about why this is. Note this shows a sped-up process (freezing water) to suitably explain the issue.

Keep up to date

It’s a challenging time to travel around Tairāwhiti. Roads are vulnerable to closures at short notice in wet weather, and repair works may cause delays and road closures at times. Please check Journey Planner before your trip and drive to the conditions.

Traffic updates: Tairāwhiti
Facebook: Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency - Hawke's Bay and Gisborne
Twitter: Waka Kotahi CNI
Journey Planner: Tairāwhiti
Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)
Highway access maps: Gisborne

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More information

In between newsletters, you can keep up with the latest news on the recovery in Tairāwhiti online at nzta.govt.nz. Find the latest updates on road closures, highway conditions, and progress on recovery all in one place.

For more information on the Connecting Tairāwhiti project, contact us at ConnectingTairawhiti@nzta.govt.nz or visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/ConnectingTairawhiti