MEDIA RELEASE

29 December 2016 | SOUTHERN REGION

Closure of State Highway 1 Hundalee to Kaikoura thismorning after rain

The NZ Transport Agency closed State Highway 1 south of Kaikoura this morning before 8 am after 15 to 20 mm of rain fell over a short period, increasing the possibility of rockfalls. After the closure there were some minor rockfalls.

“People driving to Kaikoura need to be aware that rain and bad weather may reduce the reliability of this access from the south for some time to come,” says Pete Connors, Regional Performance Manager for the Transport Agency. “We will have geotechnical advisors look at the route once the rain has eased in Kaikoura and we will then decide if it reopens after that.”

State Highway 1 daytime access to Kaikoura from the south was restored on 21 December after weeks of work by contractors, engineers and geotechnical crews following the 14 November earthquakes.

Mr Connors advised people to check the map on the Transport Agency’s Traffic and Travel pages for updates before leaving to go to Kaikoura.

Contractors would do their best to have signs in place so people knew to take the alternative route. In this case, the inland route 70 via Culverden and Waiau/ Mt Lyford remains open into Kaikoura.

Other places to get updates on state highways in Canterbury:

Facebook NZ Transport Agency South Island

See the NZ Transport Agency's travel and traffic page here.

Call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS 0800 44 44 49

Twitter https://twitter.com/NZTACWC (Canterbury/ West Coast)

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