Progress clearing State Highway 1 today – but additional closures in region

28 January 2023 7:12 pm | Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

Despite the unprecedented weather, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency contractors have made faster-than-expected progress in clearing significant slips on State Highway 1 (SH1) today.

“Our contractors have made significant progress clearing SH1 over the Brynderwyn Hills, where sizeable slips have closed the highway between the State Highway 12 intersection and Waipu. We still have trees to clear and the road needs to be cleaned and swept before we can re-open,” says Jacqui Hori-Hoult, Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations for Waka Kotahi.

She says, “At Pūhoi, most of the mud and debris blocking the highway has been cleared. The next step is felling unstable trees. Work continues until nightfall, and we aim to open the road by midday tomorrow, weather pending.

“However, we must stress that the risk is not over around the region. Some slips continue to move. Flooding is now impacting parts of Gisborne, the Bay of Plenty and low-lying areas in the Waikato, with rising river levels also posing a risk. There are new road closures,” says Ms Hori-Hoult.

While showers have eased in Auckland today, heavy rain is forecast again tomorrow. There is the potential for rain to affect other highways in the North Island, with heavy rain expected in the north half of the North Island through to the middle of next week.

“We echo the National Emergency Management Agency’s advice – put your safety first and don’t take any chances. Ring 111 if your life, health or property is in danger. Do not try to walk, play, swim, or drive in floodwater. Even water just 15 centimetres deep can sweep you off your feet, and half a metre of water will carry away most vehicles.

“We are still very much in an emergency response phase, so our number one priority remains safety for road users and our teams, who are putting in extraordinary effort to clear highways,” says Ms Hori-Hoult.

State Highway closures as of 7pm

Northland Region

SH1 Orewa to Warkworth, Northbound:

Due to slips and flooding, SH1 Pūhoi, is closed between Woodcocks Road in Warkworth and Grand Drive in Orewa. Majority of clearance has been achieved today with tree felling ongoing. The open road should open by midday tomorrow, weather pending.

Expect delays.

Exercise extreme caution on State Highway 16 due to flooding.

Significant progress has been made clearing SH1 at Pūhoi today.

SH1 Brynderwyn to Waipu:

Due to a slips on the Brynderwyn Hills, SH1 remains closed from SH12 intersection to Waipu. The road must be cleaned and swept before it can re-open. Expect delays. Freight and heavy vehicles should detour via SH12 – light vehicles via Waipu/Mangawhai.

Auckland region

SH1 Bawden Rd to Greville Rd:

Due to a slip, SH1 between Bawden and Greville Rd Northbound has only one lane open. Expect delays.

SH1 Northbound Off-ramp to Southeastern Highway:

Closed due to flooding. Expect delays.

SH16 Great North Road Off-ramp and Great North:

Due to flooding and underslips, SH16 Great North Road off-ramp is closed. Expect delays.

Waikato

SH25 Thames to Coromandel:

Due to a slip at Ruamahunga, the highway is closed between Waiomu and Tapu.
No detour available.

SH25A Kopu to Hikuai:

A large section of the road at summit of SH25A between Kopu and Hikuai has collapsed late this afternoon.
The highway is closed until further notice. The Tapu-Coroglen and 309 roads are also closed.
Detour is State Highway 2 via Karangahake Gorge.

The collapse at the summit of SH25A between Kopu and Hikuai, Coromandel.

SH3 Te Kūiti

Slips and flooding on either side of Te Kūiti township have resulted in the closure of SH3 between SH4 and Oparure Road.

Traffic travelling on SH3 through Te Kūiti should use the Troopers Road and Oparure Road detour to the west of Te Kūiti. Traffic travelling into and out of Te Kūiti have a short local detour from the northern side of the town starting at Te Kumi Station Road.

SH37 Waitomo

Flooding as closed SH37 between the roundabout at SH3 and Fullerton Road.

Work is being undertaken to reopen this slip to one lane as soon as possible.

Bay of Plenty/Gisborne

SH29 Lower Kaimai to Tauriko:

Due to a large slip at near Ruahihi Road the highway is closed between Poripori Road and Tauriko.
A detour is available via Poripori Road.

SH2 between Ōpōtiki and Gisborne:

The highway is closed due to flooding and slips.

Delays are likely in multiple locations as road crews work to restore state highway routes.

“This is an on-going event. If you must travel, exercise extreme caution in affected areas. Drive to the conditions, which means keeping a safe following distance and dropping your speed. Be prepared for some road surfaces to be rough where rain has stripped top layers of the seal and watch for flooding and other debris on the road,” says Ms Hori-Hoult.

Please check road and weather conditions before your journey:

Waka Kotahi Journeys(external link)

Metservice Weather Warnings(external link)

For more information on the Auckland storm event see:

https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/(external link)

https://at.govt.nz/about-us/news-events/service-disruptions/severe-weather-impact-across-the-auckland-area/(external link)

https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/(external link)

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