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Marlborough Roads Recovery Update |
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19 December 2024 |
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This Weeks Summary |
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All crews working on recovery sites will be off the road for the Christmas break by midday Friday 20 December. Work will resume on some sites under stop/go in the week starting Monday 6 January. Please read below for further information. On Tuesday 17 December, the resident only restriction on Kenepuru Road was lifted. The road is now open to the public for the first time since the August 2022 weather event - a huge milestone for our crews, the local community, farmers and all of those who have been impacted by the restrictions. Please note, water taxi and barge subsidies no longer apply. Refer to the road restriction section below for further information. Work to install culverts on Tepuia Heights is complete and crews have demoblised from site. They will return from Tuesday 14 January to complete road reinstatement and minor finishing works under stop/go traffic management. Operational sites on Queen Charlotte Drive have been completed with line marking undertaken this week. Work in French Pass has also drawn to a close for the year. Crews will return to the Ronga Road work site in the New Year. The new over-bridge on Stump Creek Road, Rapaura was completed this week, restoring access for residents. Work continues on the road approach at the new bridge on Waihopai Valley Road. The temporary bailey bridge will be continued to be used over the holiday period.
The Recovery Team sends you our best festive wishes, have a happy and safe Christmas holiday. Thank you for all your support through the year. Keep reading for information on:
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Major road reopens in Marlborough SoundsOn Tuesday 17 December, the resident only restriction on Kenepuru Road was lifted and the road was reopened to the public for the first time since the August 2022 weather event. In an interview on the TVNZ Breakfast show, Mayor Nadine Taylor said the reopening of Kenepuru Road just in time for the holiday period would allow people to "rediscover" the region after three years of closures. The Mayor described the new retaining wall at the ‘water tank slip’ as an "engineering work of art". She told Breakfast it was "the best Christmas present ever" for those who use the road. She said farmers in particular had faced challenges with transporting stock and accessing their land over the past three years. "Kenepuru Sound is such a much-loved sound for visitors. [The reopening] means people can get back to accessing that. Up until now it's been residents only for three years, so it's almost going to be like a 'rediscovery' I think for holidaymakers and all the people of New Zealand. It's a beautiful part of the world so we really look forward to welcoming people back there," Mayor Taylor said. Click on the image below to be taken to the full 1News interview with Mayor Taylor earlier this week. |
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Road closures |
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Kenepuru Road - Water Tank slip Daytime construction closures are planned to resume on Kenepuru Road, in the week starting Monday 20 January 2025. Please note this does not change the access status of the road. Kenepuru Road will remain open to residents and non-residents around the planned construction closures. Outside of the closures, works will be carried out under stop/go traffic management with up to 15 minute delays, from Tuesday 14 January.
Anakiwa Road
Outside of the closures, works will be carried out under stop/go traffic management. |
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Current Kenepuru Road restrictions |
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The resident only restrictions have been removed from the length of Kenepuru Road and its side roads. Reduced speed limit signage and temporary traffic lights are in place at Portage Heights, the 'water tank slip' site and approximately 500m beyond Nikau Cove (when travelling from Portage). All three sites will have a 30km temporary speed limit in place. Please expect minor delays and follow all traffic management signage. With the removal of the resident only restrictions on Kenepuru Road, the transport subsidies for barging, water taxi and air services no longer apply. These services can continue to be used, but will not be subsidised. Vehicle restrictions remain on Kenepuru Road from Linkwater to the Heads as follows: Vehicle RestrictionsVehicles up to 12.6m in length, and 6 tonne in weight can travel on Kenepuru Road and side roads. To apply for a permit for an over dimension vehicle to travel on Kenepuru Road, email recovery@marlboroughroads.com or call 0800 213 213. Please note that permits will not be issued over the Christmas break from Friday 20 December to Tuesday 7 January. There are the following hazards on this section of Kenepuru Road and its side roads including Moetapu Bay Road:
Other recovery roadsPlease be aware that on all roads, works may be in progess and/or traffic management in place. Please expect delays and follow all signage and traffic management. Heavy rain may lead to roads being closed at short notice. Regardless of the status of the road, please drive to the conditions. To check the status of a road before you travel, please visit the CDEM Map |
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French Pass |
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Progress continued on Ronga Road, 10km from the start of the road, this week. The crews have been working on constructing a MSE (mechanically stablised earth) wall around the face of the new box culvert. Work at this site will finish for the Christmas break tomorrow Friday 20 December. Over the break a priority giveway will be in place at this site. Work will resume under stop/go from Tuesday 7 January. The road has been sealed and linemarking completed at the new H-Pile retaining wall near Okiwi Bay, French Pass. |
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Layers of the MSE wall forming around the box culvert on Ronga Road |
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Okiwi Bay H-Pile wall and road resinstatement |
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Kenepuru Road |
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The construction of a new retaining wall at the 'water tank slip' site is complete. This week, crews have been working below the wall, installing the outlet pipe for the new sump. Work at this site will cease over the holiday period. Road side construction and further drainage improvements will be completed in the New Year from Tuesday 14 January 2025 under stop/go traffic management. Construction closures are planned from the week starting Monday 20 January. Reduced speed limit signage and temporary traffic lights have been installed at Portage Heights, at the 'water tank slip' site and approximately 500m beyond Nikau Cove (when travelling from Portage). All three sites have a 30km temporary speed limit in place. Please expect minor delays and follow all traffic management signage. Remedial road reinstatement works have been completed this week on Tara Bay Road. Minor works along Kenepuru Road were completed prior to the road opening. This work included bund removal, water table clearance and minor slip clearance. |
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Moetapu Bay |
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Work on the road retreat continued at Elephant Point on Moetapu Bay Road this week. Two concrete dish channels have been poured and sight rail installation is now complete. The road will be open for the holiday period until work resumes from Tuesday 7 January 2025 under stop/go traffic management. |
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Queen Charlotte Drive |
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Line marking at several sites along Queen Charlotte Drive has been completed this week. A new culvert has been installed on Queen Charlotte Drive between Korimako Rise and Tepuia Heights and the crew has disestablished from site. Construction on Tepuia Heights has come to a close for the year. Drainage improvements and five new culverts have been installed and the road reinstated for the holiday period. Work will resume at both these sites in the new year from Tuesday 14 January under stop/go traffic management. Drainage improvement works on Anakiwa Road, 2km from the start of road, are planned to start from Monday 20 January. This work will be undertaken under a road closure, with hourly openings. Please see the road closure section for more information. |
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Culvert replacement underway on Tepuia Heights |
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Rapaura |
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The team have made great progress on the new bridge on Stump Creek Road, off Rapaura Road this week. The bridge decks have been placed, hand rails installed and road reinstatement works completed. The new bridge will be open to the public tomorrow afternoon, Friday 20 December with access through the length of Stump Creek Road. |
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Bridge spans laid for the new bridge on Stump Creek Road |
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Pelorus |
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Progress on the rock revertment at Dalton's Bridge continued this week. The works are to complete river protection to reform the riverbank batter. The crew will demoblise from site tomorrow, Friday 20 December for the holiday break and will resume work from Tuesday 7 January. Please expect increased truck movements in the area when work is underway. |
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Progress on the rock revertment at Daltons Bridge |
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Waihopai Valley |
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Progress continues on site at the new Waihopai Valley Road bridge. This week the guard rails on each end of the bridge were installed and the bridge approaches sealed. The crews have demobilised from site for the Christmas break and work will resume from Monday 6 January. Over the Christmas period the current bailey bridge will continue to be used. Drivers are urged to travel with caution on the approach to the bridge due to loose chip on the surface, post road sealing. |
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Looking across the new Waihopai Valley Road bridge |
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Road approaches under construction on Waihopai Valley Road |
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Further Information |
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Marlborough Roads 0800 213 213 or 03 520 8024, between 9.00am - 4.00pm, Monday to Friday. For more information on the Marlborough Roads recovery project or to subscribe to this newsletter, contact us at recovery@marlboroughroads.com Visit our webpage: www.nzta.govt.nz/marlborough-roads-recovery 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. If you require welfare support contact Marlborough District Council on 03 520 7400 or email mdc@marlborough.govt.nz If you require an overlength permit for vehicles over 12.6m to travel on Queen Charlotte Drive between Linkwater and Picton please email Marlborough Roads NZTA Office, 4 Market Street Blenheim on MRoadsadmin@nzta.govt.nz |
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