The opening hours of State Highway 6 through the Diana Falls slip site will be changed this Sunday (April 6) with the end of Daylight Saving.
From Sunday, the highway from Haast township to Makarora will close an hour earlier at 6pm, says the NZ Transport Agency’s Senior Network Manager Mark Pinner.
“The change in sunrise and sunset hours has a significant impact on our contractors being able to see what is happening on the slip face, and as a result this compromises the safety of both our contractors and all road users travelling through the area.
“From Sunday, it will get darker earlier in the evening and the highway will be closed from 6pm at the Diana Falls slip site until 8am each day.”
This means the highway will close at Haast township at 5pm and Makarora at 5.30pm. It will re-open again at 7.30am at both Haast and Makarora.
Mr Pinner says the Transport Agency expects to review opening hours again in May and re-adjust accordingly to ensure the safety of everyone.
Meanwhile, work is underway to get the highway re-opened to two-lane and 24/7 traffic later this year. Geovert is establishing their operation at the site and starting work on the removal of smaller unstable material from the slip face to make it safe to begin work later this month installing the first fence at the bottom of the 30-metre vertical slope.
Mr Pinner says we are working towards completing the work by the end of the August; however, the weather will play a significant role in being able to achieve this date.
For more information please contact:
Jan McCarthy
Media Manager - Christchurch
NZ Transport Agency
T: 03 964 2885
M: 021 427 442
E: jan.mccarthy@nzta.govt.nz
The NZ Transport Agency works to create transport solutions for all New Zealanders - from helping new drivers earn their licences, to leading safety campaigns to investing in public transport, state highways and local roads.
