Pahiatua Track Reopens

The Pahiatua Track which links Palmerston North with the Tararua District will reopen this afternoon at 4pm.

The Track was closed by two large land slips, which came down during the storm on Saturday.

Roading contractors managed to clear one of the slips at the weekend but the route remained closed because it has taken time to remove debris from the second slip, estimated to have been made up of 30-40,000 cubic metres of soil and rock, next to the look-out on the Palmerston North end of the road.

Palmerston North City Council City Acting Roading Manager, Andrew Higgs said contractors have cleared the slip from both the Tararua and the Palmerston North ends of the Track and both lanes have been reopened.

“Our roading contractors from Higgins Palmerston North have done a great job, co-ordinating a large team and getting the work done so quickly,” Mr Higgs said.

“There will be a speed restriction of 30 kilometres an hour at the site of the slip and motorists are urged to drive with care because the surface is still slippery”, he said.

Another speed restriction of 30 kilometres an hour will apply near the intersection of the Pahiatua Track and Bush Track, where a culvert has undergone temporary repair.

Mr Higgs said sections of the Pahiatua Track may be reduced to one lane at times over the next two weeks to allow contractors to continue with the clean-up operation.

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