Update 1 November 2024: Work to install piles and foundation works at the underslip site on State Highway Remutaka Hill has continued this week.
The piles and foundations are critical elements for the retaining wall, restoring the road and protecting it from further damage.
SH2 Remutaka Hill underslip repairs, October 2024
We have completed installing 12 out of 15 piles and expect to complete the final three pile installations next week and begin the timber construction for the retaining wall. Rock anchor testing has been completed to ensure the next phase of work remains on track.
Crews will also be busy during the day next week, starting work on installing rock anchors to provide extra reinforcement to the hillside.
We have also been doing routine maintenance to make the most of the night-time closures. This has included road resurfacing, line marking, renewing drainage, clearing channels and installing new barriers and signs.
It helps us get ahead of next year's maintenance schedule which will be confirmed at a later stage.
Video: SH2 Remutaka Hill slip. October, 2024
Update 18 October 2024:
Good progress is being made on underslip repairs on State Highway 2 Remutaka Hill.
Work crews have been working hard this week with retaining wall construction. This has included more drilling and pile installations. During the day, contractors have cleared vegetation and poured concrete at the site.
Weather permitting, scaffolding will be set up next week, and more work on piles and foundations for the new retaining wall will continue.
There will be a change to the night closure schedule on Labour Weekend. There will be no night closure on Sunday night, 27 October. The hill will be open to all traffic this night, and night closures will resume on Monday night (October 28).
Drivers needing to travel the route at night must make a booking for an escorted crossing. This can be done on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website:
Remutaka Hill closure escort booking form(external link)
11 October 2024:
Repairs to the underslip on State Highway 2 Remutaka Hill are well underway.
Site preparations were carried out at the underslip site earlier this week. This included marking out work zones for plant and machinery, removing guardrails, and assessing tension cracks in the road.
Underslip site work, SH2 Remutaka Hill.
Drilling has begun, and contractors are preparing the site for pile installation and concrete work for the remainder of this week and into next week. Some works will be carried out during the day such as concrete pouring. The stop/go remains in place 24/7.
There will be ongoing monitoring of the slip site to check ground movement. Engineers will be on-site as required.
Drivers needing to cross the hill during the night closures must book in advance as space on escorted crossing is limited. Only one midnight crossing is available (each way). This maximises the working window so the project can be completed as quickly as possible.
Bookings can be made on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website:
Remutaka Hill closure escort booking form(external link)
27 September 2024:
Up to nine weeks of night closures will begin next month to carry out urgent repairs to a challenging underslip on the Featherston side of the Remutaka Hill.
Mark Owen, Regional Manager Lower North Island / Top of the South, says the underslip, which occurred earlier this month, is severe and requires immediate action.
“We need to stabilise the slip and build a retaining wall to protect the road. This will need a substantial construction effort.”
“The slip is at one of the road’s narrowest sections. Because of the work involved, the equipment needed to do the work, and keeping workers and the public safe, the road will have to be closed.” Mr Owen says.
Most of the work will be done under night closures beginning Monday, 7 October and will continue for approximately eight to nine weeks. The road will be closed between 9 pm and 4 am, Sunday to Thursday nights, but will remain open to one lane on Friday and Saturday nights.
A 24/7 stop go will remain in place during the day to protect drivers and ongoing work by road crews. Drivers must be prepared for daytime travel delays.
Mr Owen says a call has been made to repair the road as quickly as possible and night closures are the best approach.
“The Remutaka Hill is a critical transport link, which we can’t afford to have compromised. It is essential we fix this underslip before the end of the year and the summer holidays, and before KiwiRail carries out work on the Wairarapa railway line, which will see bus replacement services using the Remutaka Hill route.”
“A full closure narrows the window of risk from bad weather further damaging the site. It also allows work crews to complete the repairs more efficiently,” Mr Owen says.
Night closures also reduce the amount of disruption drivers will have to contend with.
Mr Owen says while over 7,000 vehicles use State Highway 2 Remutaka Hill daily, on average, just over 250 use the route at night.
“The work required would take over six months to complete if carried out during the day under stop/go and cause greater delays and inconvenience for drivers. Night closures let us complete the job in about a third of that time.”
“We will also use the closures to complete other works such as maintenance activities, drainage, and resurfacing where possible,” Mr Owen says.
Escorted crossings will be available over the Remutaka Hill during the closures. But Mr Owen warns there will only be one crossing in each direction per night at midnight.
“This is fewer than we do during our normal planned maintenance closures. However, we need to keep the site shutdowns to an absolute minimum so we can finish the work as quickly as possible.”
“It means drivers must plan carefully and book crossings in advance. With the only available detour a three-hour trip via the Pahiatua Track or Saddle Road, this is something we want drivers to avoid if they can,” Mr Owen says.
Crossings can be booked via the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website:
Remutaka Hill closure escort booking form(external link)
Work Schedule and Escorted Crossings:
More Information:
