The section of State Highway 25 closed by a slip that was more than 1000 cubic metres big is expected to be fully open on Tuesday evening.
One lane will also be open for a short time overnight at Ruamahunga, but it will be closed again for workers to finish clearing the last of the slip.
The NZ Transport Agency Highways Manager Karen Boyt says contractors have been hard at work with their diggers clearing the slip at Ruamahunga over the weekend.
“We have as many people and diggers working on the slip as can safely be accommodated at the site and they have found that more debris than what was originally thought has come down.
“We understand that many residents and businesses use the Thames-Coast Road and the closure is very frustrating for them and that is why we are working hard to get the road reopened as quickly as possible.”
While work clearing the slip has been underway during daylight hours, the Transport Agency is providing traffic management 24 hours a day to ensure that people don’t unknowingly drive into the working area.
With the effort being made to get this slip cleared the Transport Agency expects to have the road fully open late Tuesday. This is subject to weather conditions.
Later Monday evening (around 6:30pm) one-lane will open at the base of the slip and will stay open overnight.
The Transport Agency will need to close the road again from 9:00am to 5:00pm to complete the clearance of the slip.
The road needs to be closed again because there is not enough space to have a digger working, a truck parking and let vehicles past.
