NZ Transport Agency urging South Island travellers to be aware of SH1 closure zones around Kaikoura

In advance of the reopening of State Highway 1 north of Kaikoura tomorrow the NZ Transport Agency is urging people to be aware of the night time closure hours which will apply to two sections of road just north and south of Kaikoura.

“These areas will be closed overnight as a safety precaution, and people travelling on SH1 on the coastal route through the summer will need to allow enough time in their journeys to account for the 8.30pmclosures,” says NZ Transport Agency Earthquake Recovery Manager Tim Crow.

The closure areas are (north of Kaikoura) between Clarence and Mangamaunu and (south of Kaikoura) between Goose Bay and Peketa. Both areas will re-open each day at 7am once crews have completed a safety check.

Mr Crow says a range of activities are being put in place to ensure travellers are aware of the night-time closures.

“Information is being shared by the ferries and i-SITEs, there is electronic road side signage and a checkpoint just south of Blenheim from 7pm to 6am. Road crews at the checkpoint will help people make the right travel choices for their journeys and prevent them getting stuck further down the coast at the closure zone.”

Mr Crow says drivers need to be alert and follow all signs and the instructions of road crews when using the route.

“To keep people safe there will be a large maintenance crew and police presence actively patrolling the route. The two areas that will be closed overnight are the most earthquake damaged areas, and there will also be some restrictions during the day. We ask people to please only stop in the designated stopping areas if they need to pull over – all other areas are out of bounds for safety reasons.”

The Transport Agency is also reminding people not to plan to use the road any earlier than Fridayafternoon. Road crews will be working up until the last minute to get the road ready and will be moving trucks and equipment off site in the morning before the road re-opens. Traffic management will be in place at Hapuku to keep people safe while construction traffic comes in and out of the northern closure zone between Clarence and Mangamaunu.

For real-time travel information, visit www.nzta.govt.nz/p2c
or freephone 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49).

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