The NZ Transport Agency’s West Coast maintenance contract teams have cleared one lane through State Highway 6 between Lake Moeraki and Paringa at the site of a number of slips.
The highway reopened just after 4pm today after torrential rain and multiple slips closed it after 10am.
Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki operator Dr Gerry McSweeney says it was a very significant weather event for them.
“Overnight to 9am today, there was 68mm of rain - steady and periodic and nothing exceptional but very welcome after the drought of the last month. Between 9am and 11am at Lake Moeraki we recorded an exceptional 120mm of rain in two hours- measured in our MetService rain gauge - the most intense rain that we have recorded here in 27 years.”
Drivers will need to take care on State Highway 6 north of Haast today and in coming days as contract teams complete the clean-up and restore the highway to two lanes. People should expect a few delays with Stop/Go, single lanes and traffic management.
View latest traffic update for SH6 Fox Glacier to Haas:
http://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/roadhazards/194992(external link)
