State Highway 35 at Kopuaroa Hill will close for up to nine hours this Sunday (10 September) to make improvements to drainage.
The installation of a new culvert to replace and reposition older drainage is part of the Kopuaroa Hill resilience work that has been underway since late last year.
The road will close at 6am and reopen at 3pm.
The road will be closed north and south of Kopuaroa Hill, in locations where road users can safely turn around.
Making improvements to drainage at Kopuaroa Hill is one of the ways we’re working to build resilience and reliability of SH35 through the Connecting Tairāwhiti programme.
While there are no homes located within the closure points, we realise any road closure can have a significant impact on people travelling in the area. To minimise disruption, this work has been scheduled for a Sunday.
If work is completed before 3pm, the road will reopen earlier. Please check the interactive Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website for up-to-date information.
Waka Kotahi Journey Planner(external link)
Later this month, contractors will be replacing a rockfall fence on Tatapouri Hill and constructing a rock revetment wall at Turihaua Point. These projects will also help to improve the safety and resilience of the area.
Stop/go traffic management will be in place with delays expected. Further details, including start dates for Tatapouri Hill and Turihaua Point, will be confirmed and shared with the community as soon as possible.
Waka Kotahi wants to thank SH35 residents, communities, businesses and people travelling the road for their patience while we carry out this important resilience work.
Kopuaroa Hill Improvements Project is part of the SH35 Resilience Programme aimed at strengthening and stabilising Tairāwhiti’s roading network.
