UPDATE 28 August:
State Highway 6 is now open to two lanes on the Whangamoa Hill.
Rob Service, System Manager Top of the South, says loose material at the top of the slip was removed today. “It means the highway could be safely reopened to two lanes, and this happened around 5:45 pm. I want to thank drivers for their patience and understanding this week while road crews have worked at this site.”
4:45 pm:
State Highway 6 has reopened to one lane under a 30 km/h temporary speed limit at the slip site on the Whangamoa Hill.
The highway was closed for safety reasons at around 5:30 am this morning after a slip brought rocks and debris onto the road. It was reopened at around 4:30 this afternoon.
A further update will be provided around midday tomorrow (Tuesday, 27 August) regarding further work required to fix the slip and rockfall, and how this will affect road users.
2:05 pm
Progress is being made on reopening State Highway 6 between Blenheim and nelson. The highway has been closed since around 5:30 this morning following a slip on the Whangamoa Hill.
The intention is to reopen the highway to one lane under stop/go traffic management and a 30 km/h temporary speed restriction at seven o’clock tonight. A further update will be made at seven pm tonight to confirm the highway’s status.
Until then drivers must avoid the area and detour via State Highway 63 St Arnaud and the Wairau Valley if travelling between Nelson and Blenheim. NZTA/Waka Kotahi thanks road users for their patience and understanding as contractors work to reopen the highway. Updates on the highway’s status are available on our website
9:20 am:
Contractors are managing a slip that closed State Highway 6 between Hira and Whangamoa earlier this morning. Material continues to fall at the slip site on the Whangamoa Hill, and the highway remains closed for safety reasons. Contractors are working hard to reopen the road, but no estimate can currently be given for when this may happen. Drivers must avoid the area, and people travelling between Nelson and Blenheim should continue to detour via State Highway 63 St Arnaud and the Wairau Valley.
6:05 am:
Drivers are asked to delay their travel and avoid the area following a slip on State Highway 6 between Hira and the Rai Valley early this morning.
Reported at around 5am, a slip and rockfalls have forced the closure of State Highway 6 north of Nelson, between Hira and Whangamoa.
Map of area - State Highway 6 north of Nelson, between Hira and Whangamoa
It means there is no direct route between Nelson and Blenheim. The only available detour is via State Highway 63 St Arnaud and the Wairau Valley.
This adds around 40 minutes to travel time between Blenheim and Nelson and about an extra hour if travelling to or from the Rai Valley.
Contractors are attending the incident and are working hard to reopen the road. At this stage there is no estimate of when the highway will reopen.
Further updates will be provided when more information is known.
Drivers are urged to check the highway’s status before they travel.
