UPDATED West Coast highways update: highway reopens to one lane – Wednesday

Updated at 5pm: State Highway 73 on the Otira Gorge is now open again, with rivers and creek levels dropping rapidly across the West Coast and the sun coming out.

A number of roads on the West Coast are now open, albeit to one lane in places, after the significant flooding of the past two days, says the NZ Transport Agency.

State Highway 6 through South Westland will remain closed at the Waiho River, between the Fox and Franz Josef townships, until the bridge is replaced in the next week to ten days.

• People can now drive south of Fox Glacier to Haast and Otago and north of Franz Josef to Greymouth.

People are urged to take care and be patient and expect a longer than usual journey for everyone’s safety, says Pete Connors, Transport Agency System Manager.

Surface flooding is clearing in most places but people still need to take care as crews and residents clean up.

• SH6 south of Hokitika to Franz Josef is open but is one lane in several places.
•  SH6 south of Fox Glacier to Haast is also open with several one lane sections.
• SH6 south of Haast through to Makaroroa in Otago is also open with one lane sections.

SH6, near Franz Josef at an area called Canavans: the Waiho overtopping the stopbank:

SH73 on the Otira Gorge is now open

State Highway 73 on the Otira Gorge is now open again, with rivers and creek levels dropping rapidly across the West Coast and the sun coming out. (As at 5pm Wednesday)

Check this link  http://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/regions/12(external link)

• SH73 from Jacksons through Kumara to Kumara Junction is open with one lane sections.

SH6 north of Greymouth

The highway north of Greymouth between Barrytown and Westport was opened earlier today.

Lewis Pass, SH7 via Waipara and Reefton – open

The Lewis Pass is the link between Canterbury and the West Coast currently.

Westland District Council Civil Defence updates:

https://www.westlanddc.govt.nz/(external link)

 Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/westlanddistrictcouncil/(external link)

West Coast Regional Council rainfall and river data:

https://www.wcrc.govt.nz/our-region/river-level-and-rainfall/Pages/default.aspx(external link)

http://data.wcrc.govt.nz/cgi-bin/HydWebServer.cgi(external link)

MetService: 

https://www.metservice.com/warnings/severe-weather-warnings(external link)

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• Traffic updates: nzta.govt.nz/traffic(external link)

• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTAsouthisland(external link)
• Twitter Canterbury/West Coast: twitter.com/NZTACWC(external link)
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)