The Rangitata River bridge, SH1, is remaining closed Tuesday night with the next update at 11am Wednesday after extensive flooding from the Rangitata River at the weekend.
SH1/ SH79 Orari highway intersection taken this morning.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency teams are continuing to work closely with Environment Canterbury and KiwiRail engineers to mend breaches in stopbanks.
More information on SH1 will be coming late tomorrow morning, says Pete Connors, Transport Agency System Manager.
Route 72 the inland diversion to SH1 via Arundel opened around midday yesterday.
Transport Agency crews have made strong progress clearing slips in the Fox Hills, between the two glacier towns, in the sunny weather in South Westland the past two days.
“While we are aiming for the Christmas opening for the whole route south of Hokitika to Makarora, we will update this timetable on Friday morning (13 December),” says Mr Connors.
The route south of Whataroa right through to Makarora in Otago is being opened to all traffic Wednesday, 11 December, from 10 am, with opening restrictions only in the Fox Hills section between the two glacier townships. This section will close at nights between 8 pm and 8 am.
People should expect a much slower journey past multiple slip sites which are still being repaired. People are urged to take care around road crews.
The area north of Whataroa to Harihari is remaining closed with work ongoing on extensive slips over a several kilometre section. The aim is to open this section by Christmas and timing will be updated this Friday morning.
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