Busy year sees Tairāwhiti cyclone recovery focus move to larger projects in 2025

Almost 80% of the funded projects to repair cyclone-damaged Tairāwhiti state highways are complete, with several major projects set to start in 2025.

The Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) alliance has been carrying out Cyclone Gabrielle recovery work, on behalf of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), working to restore 2 lane access on the state highway network throughout Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay.

In Tairāwhiti, the recovery programme includes around 170 projects (or faults to be fixed) across the 500km network of State Highway 2 (SH2) and State Highway 35 (SH35). The projects vary in size and some include specialised work, while others are specific sites, sitting within a larger project.

Around 140 projects have now been completed in the region.

TREC project manager Richard Bayley says the priority was always to focus on the most severely damaged sites first to ensure the highways stayed open, then move on to smaller sites that could be completed quickly.

“We’ve achieved a lot this year and we’d like to acknowledge local contractors who have delivered great results on our projects across the state highway network. It’s been a busy year, and we appreciate all their efforts. Around 80% of our East Coast recovery construction work is delivered by local contractors.

“Together, we’ve repaired numerous underslips, improved drainage, cleared silt from streams, and restored sections of highway back to two-lanes.

“Thank you to Iwi and hapū who have continued to work closely with us.

“The support and patience of road users and local communities while we get the work done is appreciated.  We know roadworks can be challenging and we really appreciate your patience and care when adjusting to new road layouts, temporary lower speeds or road closures. This helps us keep you, other road users and our crew safe – particularly on those sites where there is very little room to work or move,” says Mr Bayley.

“Thanks to people’s support, we’ve been able to deliver a much more resilient highway network as we move into the busy summer holiday period.”

In 2025, TREC will focus on larger and more complex projects such as Hikuwai Bridge No. 1, additional improvements in the Mangahauini Gorge and upgrades to prevent flooding at Nesbitt’s Dip and Rototahe.

“We expect to start construction on these sites early in the new year after we complete detailed design work, which includes working with Iwi and hapu, landowners and council.

Most road works will stop over the holiday period, from 12 noon Thursday 19 December 2024 and resume on Monday 6 January 2025 and then early next year will be busy with new TREC recovery projects starting and the NZTA annual renewals programme continuing.

“We encourage everyone to plan their journeys and check the latest traffic updates at journeys.nzta.govt.nz to stay informed on road conditions.”

SH2

State Highway 2 (SH2), a lifeline and crucial freight route, suffered extensive damage during Cyclone Gabrielle. The recovery effort has been focused on strengthening the highway and improving water drainage to prevent future slips and road closures.

We’ve completed multiple projects on SH2 this year with a number of these being on Otoko Hill. Otoko has seen a significant amount of work to install drainage and repair a number of overslips, underslips, and pavement damage. Work start dates were staggered to reduce disruption for Gisborne’s main freight route and communities.

Completed projects on SH2 include:

• Scour protection and rock revetment at Waikohu Bridge #2
• Underslip repairs at Otoko Hill slip #1
• Soldier pile wall installation on Otoko Hill
• Five bridges including Waikohu Bridge #2 and #3, Wairakaia Bridge, Maraetaha Bridge No 5,  Tauwhatinui Bridge have had various levels of protective work undertaken, such as rock revetment (protective) work - essential to reducing future impacts of river erosion on bridges and the land it stands on.

Projects for 2025 include:

• Completing recovery work on Otoko Hill. These include finishing repairs on a major underslip using hillside stabilising methods such as shotcrete and soil anchors; installing drainage at a number of sites to help channel water away from the road and strengthening an existing retaining wall.
• Nesbitt’s Dip flood protection. The state highway will be raised and the drainage will be upgraded to reduce closures due to flooding.
• Matawai Road and Rakauroa. Work here will help to stabilise the hillside.

SH35

TREC’s recovery work on SH35 has stretched from Tairāwhiti into the eastern Bay of Plenty. Multiple projects have been completed on the highway this year. Much of the damage here is similar to SH2 and caused by rivers and waterways running alongside the roads resulting in underslips and overslips and damage to bridges and the state highway. Coupled with the region’s soft soils, this presents ongoing challenges to creating stable road surfaces.

Completed projects on SH35 include:

• Buttress construction and shoulder reinstatement at Ihungia Road
• Rock revetment work at Mangatuna Stream Bridge
• Culvert improvement works at Mangatuna

Projects for 2025 include:

• Hikuwai Bridge No.1 replacement.  A single, two-laned bridge will replace the Hikuwai bridge destroyed by Cyclone Gabrielle. Design will be at 50% early next year with construction also to start in 2025.
• Mangahauini Gorge further recovery works. The focus here will be on designs for work to stabilise slopes, repair river and road edges and upgrade culverts and drainage.
• Rototahe flood protection. The state highway will be raised and the drainage will be upgraded to reduce closures due to flooding.
• Awatere Gully underslip. A buttress (supporting) structure is being built at this location to repair an underslip caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. Road reinstatement will also be undertaken.
• Kopuaroa slip 2. An underslip at this site requires soil nails and shotcrete (sprayed liquid concrete) to stabilise and rebuild the hillside.
• Rotokautuku (Waiapu) Bridge scour repair and revetment. Rock revetment (protection) work is planned at this site to repair the area beneath the bridge from damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle and also protect it from future erosion impacts of the Waiapu river.
• Te Kura O Torere underslip. Work will involve underslip repairs with an anchored shotcrete wall and overslip repairs with reinforced earth walls and drainage improvements.