Coromandel long weekend roading update from Waka Kotahi

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Torrential rainfall and flooding had caused many issues to roads in the Coromandel area. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Waka Kotahi has issued an update on hazards and maintenance on the Coromandel road network over King's Birthday weekend.

SH25 maintenance

Monday's wet weather, which caused widespread flooding at Waihī Beach, also left its mark on State Highway 25 between Whangamatā and Waihī.

The storm caused slips and localised flooding, leaving debris on the road at numerous locations. Clearing this ahead of King's Birthday weekend has been a priority.

Work at the SH25 McBeth-Opoutere underslip has continued and, from Tuesday, June 6, trucks without trailers will once again be able to travel between Hikuai and Whangamatā.

South of Whenuakite at the Tairua Quarry culvert, teams are continuing to finish stabilising riverbanks and reconstruct drainage. Elsewhere, works are continuing along the Thames coast.

Moana Anu Anu Bridge strengthening work – closures coming up

The Moana Anu Anu Bridge (also known as the Wentworth River Bridge) on the outskirts of Whangamatā will be closed to all traffic next Friday, June 9.

The bridge, near the intersection of Tairua and Port roads, will be closed from 7am to 5pm for essential maintenance.

This follows a recent inspection which determined that the southern timber piles are deteriorating and strengthening measures are now required. Work will involve installing two new steel piles, one at each side of the bridge, and a new steel beam supporting the ends of the main bridge beams.

Motorists travelling between Waihī and Tairua on SH25 will be detoured through Whangamatā. The bridge will also be closed to cyclists and pedestrians throughout this work.

We appreciate that any road closure is disruptive, but this is essential work to keep the bridge open to traffic and avoid more significant disruption if this work is not undertaken. We will do our best to minimise disruption to the community and road users while we safely carry out this work.

While every effort will be made to keep the closure within the advised timeframe, unforeseen issues such as bad weather could affect these dates.

In the meantime, the bridge remains safe and structurally sound.

SH2 – Karangahake Gorge

Work to improve the resilience and safety of State Highway 2 through the Karangahake Gorge will continue through June.

The gorge, now a key gateway to the Coromandel, has suffered numerous slips during this year's wet weather.

Last week contractors and arborists began inspecting cliffs above the road near the Crown Hill Rd turnoff at the Karangahake Village. That work saw abseilers checking for loose debris or vegetation which needs to be removed to improve the cliff's stability.

Further work is needed to complete this and will likely be carried out during overnight closures later this month. Advance notice will be given once dates for the works are confirmed.

Safe travels over the holiday weekend

Travelling through work sites can be frustrating for people, particularly when traffic is heavy.

Congestion and delays are inevitable in peak times, especially on long weekends. We encourage everyone to plan ahead before leaving home, leave plenty of time for the journey and drive to the conditions. We want everyone to arrive safely at their destination.

Traffic management will still be in place at sites around the Coromandel, to keep road crews and road users safe on our highways, until repairs are completed.

Wherever possible, we aim to minimise impacts and avoid scheduling work on the network during busy times such as Friday afternoons, particularly ahead of a long weekend. However, there will be some instances where we need to complete critical work, which may impact on your journey.

We thank you for your patience while we carry out this essential work. Please drive to the conditions and follow posted speed restrictions.

Please check the Journey Planner (journeys.nzta.govt.nz) for up-to-date road conditions across the state highway network.

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