SH2 between Gisborne and Ōpōtiki is now open 24/7 to road users.
Contractors have been working to clear remaining debris from the road following Cyclone Gabrielle and further heavy rain on Friday and Saturday.
The road was able to open quickly after Cyclone Gabrielle but only between 7am and 7pm.
“We’ve travelled the road and we’re confident the road can now safely be opened outside of those hours too,” says Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations, Jaclyn Hankin.
“Opening the road at all times of the day and night will now provide an even more secure route in and out of Gisborne, for key freight movements and for other road users.
“Our priority is always to ensure the safety of motorists using the state highway network, so please continue to drive to the conditions if you are using that stretch of SH2 and continue to plan ahead for any possible delays.
“The road will be under temporary speed management in places with crews controlling those lower speeds.
“We will continue to monitor the road and should further damage occur, we will reassess the situation with the option of further short-notice closures a possibility.”
Please note this information can change rapidly – ensure you check the latest weather conditions with MetService, and consult the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner for the most up to date information on road closures.
Journey Planner(external link)
For those who are unable to access the internet at this stage, please keep tuned to local radio for the latest Civil Defence advice.
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.
