Devil’s Elbow on State Highway 2 (SH2) suffered significant damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023, resulting in more than 100 faults requiring major repair. The Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) Alliance is carrying out recovery work to restore this road back to two lanes.
Devil’s Elbow is the well-known local name for an extremely tight hairpin section of State Highway 2 (SH2) between Napier and Tūtira. This hilly and winding section is a key route for commuters, and people and goods moving through the region and there is no viable detour route.
The Devil’s Elbow recovery section is about 5km long and most of it was reduced to one lane following Cyclone Gabrielle. TREC is working as quickly as possible to restore it back to two lanes.
Within the Devil’s Elbow recovery site, there are more than 11 recovery projects.
Stage 1 is complete and the lower section of Devil’s Elbow recovery section is back to two lanes.
TREC stabilised the ground with anchoring and installed new drainage and pavement. The guardrails have been reinstated and slopes stabilised with hydromulch. This project was completed in October 2024.
CloseTREC stabilised the ground with anchoring, built a retaining wall and repaired drainage. Then the inside lane was built back, new pavement installed and line markings and guardrail reinstated. This project was completed in October 2024.
TREC rebuilt and strengthened the banks around the culvert, repaired drainage and built a retaining wall on the south side. The inside lane has been built back, and new asphalt, line markings and guardrail have been installed. We stabilised the slope next to the retaining wall with ground anchoring and hydroseeding. This project was completed in October 2024.
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TREC stabilised the ground beneath the road using a method called anchoring. We also installed new drainage, pavements and guardrail. This project was completed in October 2024.
TREC started this underslip repair in September and completed it in November 2024.
CloseThis underslip repair was completed in November 2024.
CloseThe hillsides surrounding Devil’s Elbow were initially cleared following Cyclone Gabrielle, but subsequent geotechnical inspections revealed some loose rocks and material remained, posing a potential risk to the road below and people travelling and working below. To address this risk, abseiling and explosive experts worked at nights (8pm to 5am) to remove the loose rocks, boulders and material under short 15-minute closures. Working at night was a challenge for the crews, but was the least disruptive time for most road users. Learn more about rock scaling in the May edition of the TREC Pānui.
CloseStage 2 of the Devil’s Elbow recovery is underway and the upper section is under a single lane and stop/go traffic management.
TREC stabilised the underslip, upgraded and repaired the culverts. Work includes debris removal, culvert extension, drainage improvements, anti-scour matting and hydroseeding.
This project is a series of four shallow underslips and scour repairs. Work includes ground stabilisation, shotcrete retaining walls, culvert extension, drainage improvements, anti-scour matting and hydroseeding.
This project is a series of four repairs including anchored shotcrete retaining wall, ground beam and rip rap, culvert extension, drainage improvements, anti-scour matting and hydroseeding.
This project has two shotcrete retaining walls that must be done in conjunction with the enabling works for Project I access. This project started in early November 2024 and is expected to be complete in February 2025.
CloseThis will be the largest, and last, recovery project in the SH2 Devil’s Elbow section.
Cyclone Gabrielle caused a 40m long and 10m high underslip at this site that significantly damaged the southbound lane of SH2. It has been down to a single lane here since February 2023.
Preparation works started in November, including widening and drainage.
This project is expected to take about 15-18 months and will be completed in stages. Work includes:
This project started in early November 2024. Learn more about this project:
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CloseDevil’s Corner (Project I) recovery progress – February 2025
Devil’s Corner (Project I) is the largest and last Cyclone Gabrielle recovery project in the SH2 Devil’s Elbow section. Here an underslip significantly damaged the southbound lane. In this video, enabling works are being completed which involved drilling 633 nails through over 4km of drilling, and excavating 500 truckloads of material. This is in preparation for the next stage (permanent works) of piling, anchoring and building a retaining wall.
About Devil’s Elbow recovery – December 2024
Overview video on the challenges of repairing Devil’s Elbow.
Flyover – July 2024
This flyover shows the damaged caused by Cyclone Gabrielle and the progress TREC is making in the early stages of recovery. In this video, Projects D, K, F and G are in construction.
