The NZ Transport Agency is monitoring a section of State Highway 6 near Knight’s Point on the West Coast which has slumped 5mm to 20mm in recent days.
The Agency’s Regional Performance Manager Pete Connors says the highway has dropped along an area of about 50 metres just north of the Knight’s Point slip which happened in October 2012.
“At this stage we do not know what has happened at the site or whether it is linked to the original slip. Our geotechnical engineers have been on site this week undertaking a range of survey work to better understand the implications of the movement,” he says.
“We hope to have this information within the next couple of weeks which will enable us to make some decisions on if any emergency works need to be undertaken or what on-going monitoring and additional survey work we need to do.”
Mr Connors says the investigations to date have shown the highway is not at any imminent risk of failing in this area. “There is always a risk with this type of movement that the road could fail, however, the risk profile is consistent with many other parts of our network.
He says there have been no further significant movement at the adjoining Knight’s Point slip. “During winter, rain has continued to flush loose rock and debris off the slip face but we have recorded no further movement. The slip has begun to stabilise and remains at least five metres away from the edge of the highway.”
Mr Connors says road user safety is paramount for the Transport Agency which will undertake whatever work is necessary to keep the critical lifeline route for the West Coast open.
For more information please contact:
Jan McCarthy
Media Manager - Christchurch
T: 03 964 2885
M: 021 427 442
E: jan.mccarthy@nzta.govt.nz
