Rock Shelter Otira Gorge, SH73, open overnight from tonight, delays during first week Arthur’s Pass side of the pass

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) will re-open SH73 between Otira and Arthur’s Pass overnight as of tonight (Friday, 20 September).

The highway has been closed overnight and with restricted hours daytimes since the end of August after rockfall began overspilling the Rock Shelter in the Otira Gorge onto the traffic lane.

After nine days of work, a crew using a remote-controlled excavator has made excellent progress clearing material on the shelter roof, says Moira Whinham, Maintenance Contract Manager for NZTA on the West Coast.

“We can now open the highway overnight after 5.30 pm. We still have around four weeks of rockfall clearance work to do so our daytime hourly delays will continue into October.”

• On weekends and overnights SH73 between Otira and Arthur’s Pass will be open unless other work or weather conditions cause a change. See note below re overnight delays 22-27 September for work at McGraths Creek Bridge.
• On weekdays, drivers should expect to wait at Arthur’s Pass or Otira between 9 am and 5 pm for up to an hour, with traffic getting across the Main Divide at the top of each hour.

The Lewis Pass via Waipara and Reefton, SH7, is the alternative route adding around an hour to the journey between Canterbury and the West Coast.

Progress report from top of the Rock Shelter

The excavator has made excellent process across the bottom of the debris on the Rock Shelter roof since Tuesday last week, says Miss Whinham. “It has now worked its way across from the east to the western edge.  The material has been more stable than expected, even with the heavy rain continuing in the gorge throughout the week, and they have managed to clear a good strip of material along the western edge to below the top of the parapet.” 

Open overnight but delays during first week at McGrath Creek Bridge

While it is great to get the highway open overnight, there is one further work project and delay which has to be fitted into the schedule in the first week, says Miss Whinham.

From Sunday night, 22 September, there will be overnight delays at McGrath Creek Bridge between Arthur’s Pass and Otira for the coming week. 

• Between Sunday, 22 September and Friday, 27 September there will be up to one-hour delays between 8pm and 6am.  The road will be open on the hour to clear traffic.   Vehicles will be queued either side of the bridge work site.
• Drivers should have no delays after 5 pm and before 8 pm or between 6am and 9am between Otira and Arthur’s Pass.
• This work is subject to weather and may be rescheduled.

This work was scheduled to occur within the overnight closures for the Rock Shelter, but with the change in restrictions for that work today, this now means separate delays overnight are needed.

McGrath Creek Bridge, close to Arthur’s Pass village.

• Any changes to route availability will be updated on the Journey Planner at all times.
  https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions(external link)
• Electronic signs at each end of SH73 in places like Kumara Junction and Springfield will let people know the open hours that day.
• Work at the Rock Shelter is now two weeks into a six week programme, so there will be another four weeks further work remaining, subject to weather.   
• An update will be provided each Friday to confirm the closures for the following week.

NZTA understands that this work at the Rock Shelter and at McGrath Creek Bridge is disruptive and appreciates people’s understanding and patience while we make the route safe and get the highway back to normal operations for the summer, says Miss Whinham.

Updates on the Rock Shelter here:
https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions/canterbury/closures/479133(external link)

The digger at work getting closer to the western edge of the Rock Shelter roof.