Marlborough Roads is praising the work of its staff and contractors in managing the recent storms and wet weather as best as could be expected.
Marlborough Roads is praising the work of its staff and contractors in managing the recent storms and wet weather as best as could be expected.
Marlborough Roads Manager Frank Porter says the recent storms and ongoing wet weather compounded damage to the roading network with most of the damage occurring in Marlborough’s central and eastern catchments.
“We were pushed to our limits with resources but I think we did as well as could be expected given how much rain the area was drenched with. And it wasn’t the typical areas that suffered the most,” Mr Porter says.
Heavy rainfall is more common in the north-western areas, but this time relatively minor damage occurred in the Sounds. There were some notable exceptions, however, to Queen Charlotte Drive between Picton and LInkwater and damage to SH6 just to the east of Havelock. Lesser damage occurred to the roads in the Kenepuru and Long Valley areas.
“The rainfall was so bad that in the Sounds small slips were still happening last Friday around Queen Charlotte Drive,” Mr Porter says.
Although every effort was made to keep the roads open as much as possible roads did have to be closed.
“Our contractors worked tirelessly to sign hazardous areas and keep arterial routes open, but ultimately we had to close SH1 south of Blenheim when both storms occurred. And even when we got our sections of state highway opened, SH1 was still closed in Canterbury so our Marlborough contractors had to manage traffic flows on our part of the highway and let people know about the detour on SH63 through the Lewis Pass.”
Mr Porter says in southern Marlborough the key areas affected on District Council roads were the various Fords on Old Renwick Road, Jacksons Road, Hammerichs Road, Thompsons Ford Road and the Roses Overflow Fords on Swamp Road and Morgans Road. These areas are all open to traffic again. However, he says that because the catchments are now so saturated, lesser rainfalls could cause flooding on these roads. This did happen last week.
The bulk of reinstatement work on the plains is complete with these roads again accessible to all traffic. The Fairhall cycleways are still under reconstruction as both cycle bridges are damaged.
Ure and Medway Roads were the worst affected by the second storm. The Ure Road is now open with further work proposed as a result of the damage, however, Medway Bridge still needs major reinstatement work before Medway Road will be reopened again. Otherwise all other roads are open to normal traffic.
The following is a schedule of the work undertaken on state highways and local roads:
North of Wairau River
State Highway:
All lanes open. Caution is still advised.
All slips have been cleared back to edge of seal or removed entirely. Some further minor clearing will be undertaken.
The water table and drainage damage repairs are complete.
Pothole repairs are ongoing due to the pavement still being very wet.
Work to repair the slipped area on the east side of the highway at Manx Hill south of Havelock will start shortly.
Local Roads
All roads open. Care is still advised.
Work to repair the slip on Queen Charlotte Drive is approximately 60% finished
The Mahau drop-out slip is still to be done at Kenepuru
An under-slip also needs to be done at Long Valley
Slip clearing is well advanced on all roads.
Retaining wall construction to reinstate the lane on Queen Charlotte Drive is also well advanced. Work to widen two other corners on Queen Charlotte Drive in the Ngakuta Bay area will start when the retaining wall is finished.
Work to clear the final slip debris and open water channels is ongoing. The repair of damaged kerbs and the installation of minor retaining structures are planned.
South of Wairau River
State Highway
All lanes open.
Slips have been cleared back to edge of the road seal with the remaining loose material to be removed. Ongoing work is still required.
The minor water table and drainage repairs are finished with work on the major damage on SH1 south of the Ure scheduled to be completed by the end of the month.
Local Roads
Work on Brookby Road is finished
Work on Waihopai Road is finished
General road reinstatement work is ongoing
Tyntesfield Bridge repairs are substantially complete
Avon Valley Bridge (Red Hut) still requires some repair
Damage repairs are progressing on all roads. All roads within the network are open but care must be taken.
Ure Road is substantially reinstated. Another week of work is programmed.
Work on Medway Road is delayed while the bridge is closed.
Material to construct the retaining wall on Corleggy Hill is on order with work expected to start within two weeks.
Area Repairs: Cable Station Road, Peggioh, Taylor Pass, Waihopai, Awatere Valley, Upton Downs. Repair teams are currently addressing the final clean-up, metalling and minor repairs on rotation throughout the network.
Medway Bridge
Medway Bridge is closed and this closes access to Medway Road.
Marlborough Roads are confident light traffic should be able to use this bridge early this week.
For more information please contact:
Frank Porter
MARLBOROUGH MANAGER
T 64 3 577 1850
M 027 278 1546
F 64 3 577 5309
frank.porter@nzta.govt.nz
