SH51 between Napier and Clive has reopened (8pm tonight) following assessment by engineers.
Cyclone Gabrielle has caused wide spread closures around both Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne regions and a number of closures remain in place.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Journey Manager for Hawke’s Bay Andre Taylor says the state highway is one of two vital links connecting Napier and Hastings.
“The cyclone had left a lot of surface flooding and debris along the road. Our contractors have worked tirelessly to ensure the road is cleared of debris and safe to travel on.
“We want to extend our thanks to our contractors who’ve been working to make this opening happen. And I want to thank road users too for their understanding and patience. To have this vital link closed has been really frustrating. That’s why we’ve been working hard to ensure this stretch is reopened as quickly as possible,” says Mr Taylor.
“While the road is open, it’s really important that road users use it only for essential travel for the time being, and drive to the conditions. Much of the road will be under a 30 km/h temporary speed limit and there will be stop / go traffic management in place between the Clive River Bridge and Farndon Road, just north of the bridge.”
“We are mindful SH50, the Napier-Hastings Expressway, remains closed. The good news is contractors are likely to be in a position to start clearing debris from tomorrow morning.”
Please ensure you check the latest weather conditions with MetService, and consult the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner for the most up to date information on road closures.
Journey Planner(external link)
Journey Planner is updated 24/7 by Waka Kotahi traffic operations centres and is the best source of the most recent and reliable information available on state highway closures and disruptions. Remember to refresh the page when checking the status of highways to ensure that the latest updates are displayed.
