Crews racing to clear SH6 slips
A big slip that has closed State Highway 6 between Korere and Glenhope, north of Murchison, will take until at least the middle of the week until it is cleared.
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is advising all road users to allow for extra travel time and be aware that the detour may also have short areas of one lane as smaller slips from the weekend rain are cleared.
NZTA spokesperson Frances Adank said the slip on Sunday night began quite high in the bushline above the road.
Some trucks had been trapped between the slips, but they had been brought out safely, she said.
A detour is in place while contractors work to clear the debris and reopen the road, which is the main route between Nelson and Christchurch, and the West Coast and Nelson.
Northbound traffic is advised to use SH63 to St Arnaud, then Korere-Tophouse Rd to rejoin SH6 south of Wakefield, with the reverse in place for southbound traffic. Adank said the detour was suitable for heavy traffic but would add at least 20 minutes to a journey.
Police said emergency services had responded to several reports of blockages of SH6 between Murchison and Glenhope. There were numerous weather-related incidents such as slips, flooding and fallen trees.
Police are advising motorists to delay their travel or avoid the area.
The NZTA said that although it had stopped raining on Monday, the highway was unlikely to reopen until midweek at the earliest, given the extent of the repairs needed over a relatively short area of highway.
NZTA system manager Andrew James said all vehicles that were stranded after being caught between the slips were safely removed on Monday. All road users were accounted for and safe.
‘‘The slips, fed by three separate creeks leading into the area, have caused road and roadside barrier damage [and] damaged the highway seal, and culverts also need to be cleared,’’ he said.