Crews have worked hard to clear truckloads of material from SH1 Dome Valley overnight and will now start building a 40 metre debris wall to prevent future loose material from falling onto the road.
The wall will require 30 piles and will be drilled alongside the section of road to ensure it is resilient to future weather events.
Due to the conditions and very narrow width of the road, it is too unsafe for crews to carry out this work next to live traffic so the road will need to remain closed today and over the weekend.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency anticipates that the road will reopen in both directions early next week, once these works have been completed (subject to weather conditions).
Jacqui Hori-Hoult, Regional Manager Maintenance and Operations says that getting the road open as soon as possible remains the focus and teams will be working 24/7, safety permitting. Safety is always the number one priority.
“We understand that this road is a crucial connection between Auckland and Northland and the closure has caused some disruption this week.
“Over the next few days our teams will be taking advantage of the closure to improve resilience along this stetch of road, proactively improving stormwater drainage.
“This will help to ensure that when the next weather event hits, this section is able to withstand some of the impacts.
“With school holidays about to begin we are asking families to allow more time to travel and please follow the official detours if you are heading away.
“Plan ahead, allow extra time for your journey and utilise the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner for the latest information on road closures.”
Journey Planner(external link)
Waka Kotahi is reminding motorists that the official detour route is fit for purpose. Online map providers may recommend the shortest route; however this may not be suitable for all vehicle types.
The official detour route is:
Alternatively, motorists can utilise SH16 which runs all the way from Wellsford to Auckland.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding as we work as quickly and safely as possible to carry out these works so we can reopen this important road” says Ms Hori-Hoult.
A further update will be provided on Monday morning.
