Coromandel and Western Bay of Plenty - state highways all open

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is reminding motorists to take care driving around the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions today following last night’s heavy rain with more heavy showers expected in both areas today.

NZTA State Highway Operations Manager, Karen Boyt, says the agency is keeping a close watch on the situation but at this stage, all state highways are open, including the Karangahake Gorge on State Highway 2 between Waihi and Paeroa.

"There is surface flooding in some areas of both regions and in others, small slips are undergoing cleanups by road crews," says Ms Boyt. "Motorists can still drive through these areas but we’d ask that they drive to the conditions to ensure their own safety and that of our road crews."

Waikato

The following highways are open, but traffic controls are in place and motorists are asked to please take care in these areas:

• SH29 – road crews are cleaning up a slip just before the summit on the Matamata side of the Kaimai Ranges.
• SH26 – there is surface flooding at two sites: Mangaiti - between Paeroa and Te Aroha; and between Paeroa and Hikutaia.
• SH1 – there is surface flooding between the SH29 turnoff and the Maungatautari Road turnoff, one km further north.

Coromandel

State Highway 25 – Thames Coast side of the Coromandel. Again, the road is open but traffic controls are in place and motorists are asked to please take care in these areas:

• Minor slips at Ruamahanga (about 27 km north of Thames) and further up the Thames Coast at Tapu and at Kereta. Access is temporarily down to one lane in each of these situations while these slips are being cleared.
• Also further up the Thames Coast there is surface flooding on SH25 at Manaia but two lane access is still in place.
• SH25A – Kopu-Hikuai – was reduced to single lane access earlier this morning while fallen trees were cleared off the road. This road is now back to two lanes.

Bay of Plenty

• SH36 – fallen trees were removed earlier this morning and the road is open.

Ms Boyt says the NZTA will continue to closely monitor all roads within the area as rain eases off today. "In the meantime, we’d like to ask people to please take care on the highways, drive to the conditions and allow for minor delays through single lane access areas above."

Ms Boyt says can also check with the NZTA's freephone 0800 4 HIGHWAYS or 0800 44 44 49, or its website www.highwayinfo.govt.nz(external link) for up-to-the-minute info on road conditions.