When will construction on the five significantly damaged sites start?
We are currently completing the designs and management plans for work on the five remaining sites, including health and safety, quality, and construction management plans. We expect the site to be established and geotechnical work to be underway in late 2019, with construction work starting in 2020.
Who is doing the remaining repair work?
A contract to complete this work was awarded to construction company Downer.
The team, led by local team members Thomas Maw and Brad Nixon, will complete repairs on the five remaining major sites on the hill.
When will the repairs to the road be complete?
The major site repair work is expected to be completed in 2021. While there may be some additional clean-up work required after completion of the repairs, we expect the road to have reopened to two-lanes by this point.
Will the traffic lights remain in place while the construction work on the major sites is carried out?
The traffic light system will continue while we complete the work on the major sites, with the system being extended further uphill to include all five major sites once construction starts. Alternating traffic flow through this section of the Takaka Hill will remain during the construction period.
Once this work is complete, the road will return to two lanes.
Will construction work on these five major slip sites cause additional delay to my journey?
We may need to close the road for short periods while we carry out this work. We will work to minimise any disruption to journeys and communicate these closures in advance.
How will you let me know about any impacts to my journey?
You are able to stay up-to-date on work by signing up to our e-newsletter on the project page. We will also be communicating progress through community notices, media releases and social media. You stay across current road conditions by checking our journey planner.
Subscribe to email updates(external link)
Journey planner(external link)
How much will this project cost?
Around $29m of funding has been provided for the entire Takaka Hill response and recovery.
What measures have you put in place to ensure this doesn’t happen to the road again?
The nature and location of the road over Takaka Hill means that it will always be prone to damage during extreme weather events. The NZ Transport Agency has invested significant funds to repair the damage to the road caused by Cyclone Gita and ensure that at least one lane of road can remain open following any future events. New retaining wall structures and foundations will make these parts of the hill much more resilient in the event of future significant storms and downpours. However, we are only rebuilding the parts of the highway which were seriously damaged from Cyclone Gita, and future storms may affect other parts of the hill.
Why is this work taking so long?
We understand the impact to travel caused by this damage is frustrating and we appreciate your patience while we carry out this work. These complex repairs take time to complete and work is dependent on weather, but we are working hard to get things back to normal as quickly as possible. By completing planning and design before starting on the major works, it means we can minimise the time spent on site and construction can take place without requiring significant road closures or major changes to the current experience of Takaka Hill road-users.
What happens if there are further slips/weather events?
Due to the geology of Takaka Hill, and the length of SH60 over the hill, there will always be a risk of further events despite the geotechnical work we’ve done. We have contingency plans for each site to ensure repairs can continue if we need to undertake deeper or wider work than expected.
How can I stay informed?
- nzta.govt.nz/takaka-hill
- Sign up to our e-newsletter(external link)
- 0800 4 HIGHWAYS
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/nztasouthisland(external link)
- Twitter – Top of the South: twitter.com/nztatots(external link)
- The key traffic and travel source which provides up-to-date information on weather and road conditions is www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic(external link)
Who can I call if I have a query or complaint?
0800 4 HIGHWAYS
