‘Hurunui humps’ reach end of the road

Stomach-flipping bumps on the highway between Christchurch and Hanmer Springs are about to get smoothed.

North Canterbury’s ‘‘Hurunui humps’’ have provided years of stomach-flipping fun for families driving between Christchurch and Hanmer Springs.

But those days are numbered. Work costing $760,000 is under way to level some of the bumps, which are on State Highway 7 near Culverden, by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA). The area being repaired is about 1200 metres of highway from Balmoral Station Rd to the bottom of the top terrace towards Culverden. Several people have voiced disappointment on social media about the removal of the bumps, labelling it ‘‘killjoy’’.

‘‘It’ll take away our enjoyment of driving through there,’’ Sarah Maginness posted.

Others said their children would be disappointed and driving the route would not be the same.

NZTA North Canterbury maintenance contract manager Barry Stratton said the work was part of a major highway rehabilitation for this section of highway – which he said came up about every 50 years.

‘‘As part of the major task of replacing worn-out sections of highway, the transport agency’s engineers also ask if there is anything they can do to improve safety for all road users at the same time,’’ he said.

‘‘By smoothing out some of the bumps – not all – on this stretch of highway, it will aid safety and increase visibility.’’

About 600 metres of the highway had been completed, Stratton said, and another 400m would be completed next summer. ‘‘The work was needed as the highway was at the end of its life.’’

The bumps would remain but were being reduced in size and smoothed in three places, he said.

It meant the no-passing lanes lines could be reduced in length and motorists would be able to pass safely over a slightly longer area.