SH11 opens — a little
State Highway 11 at Lemon’s Hill, between Kawakawa and Paihia, has reopened to traffic for limited periods, after ex-Tropical Cyclone Fehi brought down a huge slip on February 13.
The NZ Transport Agency said traffic would be allowed through in convoys for an hour from 7.30am and from 4.30pm to 6pm as of yesterday, but there could be no guarantees. Motorists would need to arrive at the control points on either side of the slip early to ensure they could get through, or continue to use the detour.
NZTA system manager Steve Mutton said the site would be subject to daily safety checks and ongoing monitoring of the slip, while the weather would also play a part.
“If there is any movement or ground instability the road will be closed immediately. This means daily access cannot be guaranteed, and the decision to open the road each day won’t be made until the last minute,” he said.
All going well one lane would be open, with stop/go traffic control and a maximum speed of 30km/h. Drivers would be asked to keep to the speed limit to ensure their safety and that of the traffic management crews.
Over-dimension loads would not be permitted.
“Opening times are limited, as all earthmoving will stop while the road is open, which means slip repair work will be slowed down,” Mr Mutton said.
“We also need to limit the partial reopening to daylight hours, as our ‘spotters’ on the hillside need clear visibility to monitor for any slip movement.
“The Transport Agency acknowledges the disruption and inconvenience of having the road between closed since February,” he said.
“We’ve worked hard, within necessary safety constraints, to restore this connection for local residents, businesses and visitors to the Bay of Islands. We thank everyone for their understanding and patience.”
Meanwhile work on stabilising the slip continued at pace, depending on the weather. Crews were working from the top down, cutting huge fivemetre benches or steps in the hillside to remove unstable material, which had had to be carted off the top of the hillside, a slow and difficult process.
Now it was being pushed down the hillside, which had speeded up the work, with up to 2000 cubic metres of loose material being removed each day.
The signposted detour is via state highways 1, 10 and 11. Mr Mutton said drivers should allow for up to an extra 30 minutes for the journey between Kawakawa and Paihia.
“We ask motorists to drive with care and to the road conditions, and to allow enough time to get to their destination safely,” he said.