Our local roading network suffered significant damage in 2023. Almost all rural roads were closed during cyclones Hale and Gabrielle with communities cut off for weeks with 8 bridges destroyed, 54 with major damage, significant slips and dropouts leaving a bill stretching into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The total damage to our local network has been assessed as $465 million to get it back to where we were, but to build back stronger we need $725 million. We've received a support package from government of 125 million, with an additional $85 million for the initial emergency response costs.
Our focus is always to reopen roads to residents who are cut off and to get access for heavy freight to support our rural communities. Priority is given to school bus routes, safe access to connect communities and forestry and farm access routes for animal welfare.
Our 3 year plan 2024 - 2027 3YP
$125 million government funding to help establish bridges across the region, fix Tiniroto Road and address slips and dropouts. We've started these projects and expect to spend $85 million over the next 3 years. The remainder of funds will be spent post 2027. We're planning some additional work with funding from NZTA if available, and have allocated up to $105 million in our 3YP for extra recovery efforts.
Our 6 project work streams in our 3YP
- $23m on destroyed bridges - we'll fix 4 bridges with the government funding.
- $17.5m on damaged bridges - 41 out of 51 severely damaged bridges will be repaired.
- $1m - replacing safety guardrails on bridges
- $45m Tiniroto Road - assessing an alternative to SH2 south and addressing risks at the bluffs.
- $8m to fix major slips and dropouts
- $27m working in partnership with iwi on projects to provide greater resilience to communities
Bridge repairs or replacement
We assessed all 424 bridges in our region following Cyclone Gabrielle:
- 64 bridges were either destroyed or required significant repairs.
- 35 bridges required minor repairs to ensure their resilience in future severe weather events.
- 32 bridges were also damaged in severe weather events prior to, or post Cyclone Gabrielle
Within 4 months of Cyclone Gabrielle, 140 bridge faults were repaired including removing large wood debris and structural fixes.
Tiniroto Road at the Hangaroa Bluffs
Costs estimated at $35 - $50M to repair back to normal. Or $65-$130M if we add resilience (revised cost)
The road suffered significant damage at the bluffs - 1400m of road was undermined with river protection works partly or fully destroyed. The 2 lane road was scoured away and reduced to less than one lane in parts. It required repairs to the retaining wall structures and rock protection works. The road had reopened to single lane access.
June 2023 rain event
After a helicopter fly over of the Hangaroa Bluffs on Tiniroto Road, engineers discovered tension cracks that could come down on the road without warning. Geotechnical engineers inspected the bluffs between the 35 - 37km mark. All 3 bluffs were found to present imminent and extreme risk to road users.
August 2023 - The section of road was closed as it was deemed to be unsafe, due to extreme injury or death as a probable consequence should road users be impacted by falling material.
17 June 2024 - after essential safety work was carried out at the Hangaroa bluffs, the road reopened after being closed for 10 months.
Tiniroto Bluffs reports
- June 2023 Tiniroto Road Site Inspection Report by LDE
- July 2023 Addendum to the Inspection Report - Risk Mitigation Options and Costs
Resilient solution for the road
For more information about the resilient solution for Tiniroto Road
Slips and dropouts
$51m for phase 4 for repairs to slips and dropouts that met the criteria. Funded by NZTA $40m and government $11m .
Tranche 1 and 2 for 19 sites, works completed 2023.
Tranche 3 for 43 sites , works completed 2023.
Tranche 4 for 343 sites, works started October 2024 and is ongoing - 38 sites completed so far.
By February 2025 over half the sites have been awarded to contractors.
Slips and dropout sites were selected on the following criteria:
- Current impact of fault on level of service
- regional economic importance to the route
Iwi prioritised community projects
A $36m 3-phase programme of works to improve the resilience of alternative routes identified by iwi and community stakeholders.
Tranche 1 for 132 sites, works between January - April.
Remediate surface and drainage issues of roads that are vital alternative routes in case of emergency or if the state highway closes.
Tranche 2 for 150 sites, works between April - November.
Remediate surface and drainage issues on roads that are sole access to remote or vulnerable communities and sites of cultural significance.
Trance 3 for 9-15 sites, works between October - July 2026.
Improvements of complex sites that are known risks to the road network.
Site and routes were prioritised by iwi, based on the following criteria for funding:
- current impact of fault on level of service
- cultural importance of location or destination
- regional economic importance of the route
- restriction of evacuation in case of emergency
- school bus route
Waihau Road
In the June 2023, a significant landslide washed out part of Waihau Road approx 4.8km from the intersection with SH35. Geotechnical engineers inspected the site where 5m of the road had been lost. Their findings were that this was part of a much larger 110m fault.
The dropout was the direct result of a landslide and debris flow that occurred more than 30m above the road. The debris flow washed over the road and blocked the road drainage. As a result of the loss of drainage, the road was washed out by the flood and debris. Residents only had walking access around the slip.
Work to repair the dropout and reinstate road access was completed and reopened to residents in November 2023. Following a favourable risk assessment - the road reopened to all traffic from December, but with conditions.
No stopping signs are installed at both ends of the repaired section of road.
The following triggers have been put in place as the landslide could reactivate and the road may dropout.
Alerts for MetService heavy rain warnings that include this area:
- Orange Warning - residents and campers need to closely monitor the weather forecast and be prepared to evacuate.
- Red Warning - the road will close, residents and campers need to evacuate.
Waihau Road slip reports
7 December 2023 - Post-Slip Risk Assessment Report
27 July 2023 - Updated report - LDE Report on Waihau Road Slip
Large wood debris removal
Tauwhareparae Road
There are 4 damaged bridges, major slips and 2 landslides at the 17 and 26km mark - staff are working on the full business case for Tauwhareparae Road to be able to apply for funding. This could take up to 6 months and will also include options for alternative routes.
Landslide dam update 28 August - the landslide dam on Tauwhareparae Road has been assessed as low to minimal risk of failure. The dam of water is being actively monitored and inspected, especially after rain. The landslide dam is quite small at 1.2ha and water is freely flowing through it which reduces risk. The gradient on the dam is low, which also reduces the risk of rapid failure. The dam has been assessed as having 26,000m3 of water in it and measures 5m deep and 20m wide.
