Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency will reopen State Highway 35 between Gisborne and Tolaga Bay and Potaka and the Ruatoria intersection with SH35 for four hours between 2pm and 6pm this afternoon to allow people to get home or travel for essential purposes ahead of more heavy rain setting in again later this evening. Waka Kotahi will reassess in morning, with a view to open at 10am.
Update 7.55am Thursday 24 March: State Highway 35 remains closed between Gisborne and Potaka, and State Highway 2 is now closed between Ormond and Opotiki due to flooding and slips.
Further south, State Highway 2 is also closed between Napier and Wairoa, due to slips and flooding, and is likely to remain closed for a significant amount of time. State Highway 38 is closed northeast of Frasertown due to flooding.
State Highway 5 has also been impacted by the heavy rain and may need to close. Our contractors are continuing to assess the route and clear hazards such as slips, where possible. Caution is advised if you are driving the route.
There are no detour routes available for any of these closures. People are asked to delay their travel and continue to visit the Waka Kotahi social media pages for updates:
We expect to provide another update to this media release this morning.
Take care, stay safe and stay alert.
The road will remain closed between Tolaga Bay and Te Puia Springs, where it is unsafe to reopen the road.
Waka Kotahi National Journey Manager Helen Harris says the areas between Gisborne and Tolaga Bay and Potaka and Ruatoria will close again at 6pm and remain closed overnight to ensure people’s safety, as the heavy rain forecast for this evening could cause further disruption.
“There are large areas of flooding, slips, wash-outs and other hazards along the route as a result of the poor weather.
“While the rain has eased for the time being, heavy rain is expected to set in again late this afternoon. There are also heavy rain warnings in place for Bay of Plenty and Rotorua, Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki.”
The detour route via State Highway 2 will add considerable time to a trip and motorists are asked to delay their journeys and avoid unnecessary travel, where possible. The Bay of Plenty is also experiencing heavy rain and this may impact the detour route, particularly SH2 through the Waioeka Gorge.
“Those who do need to travel are advised to take extra care, stay alert – especially for unreported hazards, such as flooding, slips, wash-outs, pot holes, downed trees and power lines – and drive to the conditions. Slow down and maintain a greater following distance between your vehicle and the one in front,” Ms Harris says.
“Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly and we may need to close more roads.”
Updates will be posted on the Waka Kotahi social media pages and our Journey Planner website:
Ms Harris asks motorists to be mindful of contractors who could be out clearing hazards off the road, and drive slowly through work sites.
“We want to see everyone get home safely. Stay safe and stay alert.”
Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:
