Waka Kotahi is reminding people travelling on State Highway 2 between Napier and Wairoa that a section of the road remains closed at night, for everyone’s safety.
The road, which saw around 100 sites damaged following Cyclone Gabrielle, reopened to traffic on Sunday.
At this stage, a stretch of the road between Aropaonui Road in the south to Waikoau Hill is closed overnight between 6pm and 7am.
The rest of the state highway remains open 24/7.
Waka Kotahi Journey Manager for Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, Andre Taylor says contractors and on-site traffic management staff have reported instances of truck drivers becoming frustrated by the nightly closure.
“The nightly closure is in place for everyone’s safety, and has been communicated well in advance.
“A huge effort has gone into getting the road to this point, but in many places the road doesn’t look the same as it did before the cyclone.
“Many areas of the road remain damaged and others, like the Bailey bridge, have single lane restrictions.
“Contractors working on the road have become a familiar sight around Hawke’s Bay in the aftermath of the cyclone - please respect them, they’re there to do a job and only want to see people get where they’re going safely.
“Overwhelmingly, on this stretch of SH2 and further inland on State Highway 5 Napier-Taupō, road users have been incredibly patient around the roadworks and we are keen to see this continue.
“It’s also important to remind people that the speed restriction for the bridge is 10km/h and there is a limit of one truck on the Bailey bridge at a time.
“The bridge can take up to 50MAX vehicles. HPMVs cannot use the bridge and we are in regular communication with the freight industry about the needs of HPMV drivers.”
Mr Taylor says the bridge, which is the longest Bailey bridge in the country, will undergo regular inspection and maintenance, including tightening of components.
“We’ve had some really positive feedback from road users about the bridge and the road in general. Restoring connections for communities, whanau, and those doing business has always been a top priority and we’re pleased to have played a part in getting the road to this point. We know there’s more to be done and we’re continuing to work incredibly hard.”
