Coromandel Peninsula now open between Thames and Matarangi. SH2 Karangahake Gorge is also open.
8.30pm update:
State Highway 25 is OPEN in sections – restoring access between Thames and Matarangi. Slips between Hikuai and Whangamata have been cleared. Essential travel only.
This means people in towns on the east coast like Whitianga and Tairua can now leave the peninsula and supplies can get in.
Unfortunately due to an emerging risk posed by a slip with suspended trees (see images below) – SH25 is still CLOSED for now between Ruamahanga Bay and Tapu on the Thames-Coast Highway. Only emergency services and civil defence can get through here.
SH25 Te Rerenga to Kūaotunu: still CLOSED
Still fully closed here due to major slips between Matarangi Road and Kūaotunu. Strictly emergency services / civil defence access via a private land diversion. Unavailable to the general public.
Other parts of SH25 are open but many areas are one lane only and road users should expect significant disruption and delays due to ongoing clean up works. Caution is advised. Essential travel only.
State Highway 2 Paeroa and Waihi through the Karangahake Gorge is now OPEN – essential travel only
Due to remaining areas of debris and mud on the road and slippery surface areas extreme caution is required on this section of SH2.
Some sections have 30km/h or 50km/h temporary speed limits in place.
Clean up works will resume tomorrow and road users should expect significant disruption and potential delays when travelling through this area.
This updates the information below.
4:57pm media release:
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says travel to and from the Coromandel should be possible by tomorrow morning, providing there is no further deterioration on the network.
In addition State Highway 2 between Paeroa and Waihi through the Karangahake Gorge should re-open by nightfall, restoring a key route in the East Waikato.
“Contractors have made tremendous progress clearing a large number of slips on State Highway 2 through the Gorge and around State Highway 25, the Peninsula’s key thoroughfare,” says Cara Lauder, Waka Kotahi System Manager for the Waikato.
“It’s a huge job and we’re so proud of our hard working local contractors who are 100 per cent committed to re-opening these roads as soon as possible.
“Coromandel to Thames and Hikuai to Whangamata should have one lane open to vehicles by the morning but extreme caution is advised. The road may still be slippery due to mud from slips. There may still be small amounts of debris on the road. Please follow all direction from our traffic management team and drive to the signposted speed limit,” Ms Lauder says.
Contractors also hope to have the slip at Kūaotunu on SH25 cleared and the highway re-opened there as soon as possible.
“It is Waka Kotahi’s top priority to restore access to isolated communities. We appreciate how frustrating and disabling the road closures are for the Coromandel community and we want to thank everyone for their patience while we’re working to fully re-open the roads, ” Ms Lauder says.
Check the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner for the most up to date information on what highways are open and where they are closed.
Journey Planner(external link)
Journey Planner is updated 24/7 by Waka Kotahi traffic operations centres, and is the best source of the most recent and reliable information available on state highway closures and disruptions. Remember to refresh the page when checking the status of highways to ensure that the latest updates are displayed.
