Take it easy on the roads this King’s Birthday.
That’s the message from Waka Kotahi for all road users travelling in and out of the Wairoa District, Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay this long weekend.
“State Highway 2 between Wairoa and Napier is now open 24/7 and this weekend is the first public holiday since the road was opened, following the devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. We’re expecting there will be a lot of people wanting to travel between Wairoa and Napier and further afield,” says Hawke’s Bay / Tairāwhiti Journey Manager Andre Taylor.
“Our contractors have worked incredibly hard to reopen the road safely to road users, but it still looks very different to what it looked like before the cyclone. That means there will still be temporary speed restrictions and stop/go controls in a number of places. Please be aware of the conditions, take care, don’t rush and abide by the traffic controls in place.
“Currently we suggest adding another 30 minutes to your usual journey time between Wairoa and Napier.
“Further north on SH2, foamed bitumen stablisation is underway between Gisborne and Matawai and road users should expect delays and lower speeds through that section of road.
“Elsewhere on the network, a number of sites on SH5 Napier to Taupō remain under temporary traffic management – lower speeds and/or stop/go controls.
“Crews will be out at sites along SH5 helping to minimise disruptions to traffic flow, especially where roads are reduced to one lane.
“Our message to road users around the regions, no matter where you might be travelling - there are still many areas impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, and while these might be passable, some remain under temporary traffic management. Please be careful and drive to the conditions at all times.
“It’s important we all enjoy a safe, relaxing King’s Birthday public holiday and a key part of that is keeping safe on the roads,” says Mr Taylor.
