Storm Damage Assessed in New Plymouth District

Roads in rural areas of New Plymouth District have been hit hardest by the weekend’s storm.

It will take the rest of the week for road slips to be removed, with work today concentrating on cutting tracks to provide locals with access through the biggest slips.

District roads (as at 10.15am)

Blocked roads: Mangahia, Mataro, Toe Toe, Pukemahoe, Roe, Waikaramarama, Mangamaio, Tarata, Moki and Piko roads. Okoki road is blocked in one place with passable minor slips in other areas, and the Kaka/Uruti roads intersection is also blocked by a slip.

Roads with limited access: Belair Avenue/Blagdon Road is down to single lane due to a slip.

Rerekino Road is partially blocked due to slips and fallen trees. 

Roads with damaged road surfaces: Mataro, Motukawa, Mamaku and Tarata roads.

Opened roads: Otaraoa and Waitaanga roads.

On Kaka Road, Powerco and Asplundh are removing fallen trees from power lines, and on Manukorihi Road the Waitara River has undermined the road by the sportsground.

A slip has closed a footpath on South Road, New Plymouth at Windy Point.

“Our contractor is currently working on cutting tracks through slips so that locals can get in and out, and we are assessing other parts of the network,” says Manager Roading Assets Max Aves.

“We’ll be working for the rest of the week to continue to clear slips and debris from our local roads.

“We appreciate the efforts that the community has made, particularly in the rural areas of the district, in responding to this event.”

Parks and reserves

An inspection of all parks, reserves and walkways is under way; however, damage has already been identified at the Waitara boat ramp.

“The floating pontoon was washed away but we’ve found it again,” says Manager Parks Mark Bruhn. “We’ll assess the structural damage of the boat ramp to see what repairs are A slip has been reported on the road to Manukorihi Park, which is being assessed.

Huatoki Plaza and Puke Ariki Landing had flood debris cleaned away yesterday.

Wastewater and stormwater

There are wastewater overflows at the Inglewood oxidation ponds and at the Waitara pump station, which is overflowing into the old marine outfall system for discharge into the sea.

Warning signs are out at all locations where overflows occurred during the weekend.

Colson Road Landfill has reopened today.

All water treatment plants are fully operational and there are no issues with water quality.
District roads update - these are changes from the 10.15am information:
* Mangahia Road – now passable
* Mataro Road – damaged seal has been made safe for traffic.
* Moki road – a track is being cut through the large slip south of the tunnel.
* Motukawa Road – a track is being cut through the slip.
* Toe Toe Road – this slip will be seen to today or tomorrow morning.
* Rowe Road – a track has been cut though the slip.
* Waikaramarama Rd – more material has fallen onto the road today so the road is still blocked.
* Mangamaio Road – a track has been cut through the slip.
* Piko Road – tracks have been cut through the slips.
* Okoki Road by culvert 106 – small slips are passable and logging debris are being cleared, but the status of the road beyond the slips is unknown at this point.
* Kaka Road – fallen trees have been removed from powerlines.
* Kaka Road/Uruti Road intersection – a track has been cut through the slip, which is passable in a ute.
* Mamaku road – open.
* Autawa Road – Slips blocking the road.
* Ngatoto Road – slip at southern end blocking road.
* Avenue Road – slip partially blocking road.

ends

© Scoop Media