Rockfall risk means no photo stops

Parts of the Milford Rd are currently at high risk for rockfall, so two traffic stopping areas will now be closed this summer for safety reasons.

New Zealand Transport Agency system manager Graeme Hall said a detailed rockfall assessment was recently completed of the Homer Saddle area, following a significant rockfall close to road users in late May this year, on State Highway 94 near the Homer Tunnel.

‘‘This assessment found that some parts of SH94 are currently high risk for rockfall, hence the need to take some immediate, practical measures to keep all road users and visitors safe,’’ Hall said.

‘‘As we go from the avalanche season, which already has stopping restrictions due to winter avalanche risk, into the summer season [this week], we will maintain the current winter stopping locations for road users’ and visitors’ safety.

‘‘We understand how frustrating this will be for many tour bus operators . . . but we have to put risk to life over photo opportunities.’’

Department of Conservation Te Anau operations manager Nedra Burns said the department had notified all concessionaires that might be affected by the changes and would work with them and the transport agency to manage impacts on their business as necessary.

There will be a no-stopping zone from the current winter traffic signal location on the east side of Homer Tunnel through to the tunnel entrance.

The second no-stopping area is on the western side of the tunnel. Drivers travelling to Milford will not be able to stop for about 850 metres west of the Homer Tunnel. The Chasm car park is now the only formal car parking area on this section of the highway.

The Homer Tunnel car park on the eastern side will close and people queued to go through the single-lane tunnel on that side will be moved 200 metres further back from the tunnel entrance.

The area on the west side of the tunnel currently used for traffic stopping will continue to be used as it is. The rockfall shelter portal of the Homer Tunnel provides a safer passage through this area.

The ‘‘Loop 2’’ car park on the western/ Milford Sound side of the tunnel will be physically closed off from the highway with a bund.

‘‘Signs in Mandarin and English are being installed now so visitors will know these areas are no long considered a safe place to park or take photos or to pause too long if they are walking,’’ Hall said.