All safety-critical rock blasting and scaling north of Haast at Epitaph Slip area in South Westland is now complete, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

NZTA is aiming to reopen SH6 south of Knights Point, north of Haast at 10 am on Friday morning (22 November), subject to any further weather issues and road loading tests, says Mark Pinner, System Manager for NZTA in the Central Region of the South Island/Te Wai Pounamu.

• The highway will also close overnight for the time being from 9pm through to 7 am the next day while NZTA gains more assurance of slope stability.

This section of highway has been closed since the record 9 November rainfall which caused flooding, slips and rockfall at a number of places, including above the road at the site of 2012’s Epitaph Slip.

“The rock scaling and explosives team has been working continually since Monday last week to make this site safe for it to reopen. As well as removing rocks which directly threatened the highway, using air bags, explosives and helicopter sluicing, they have also tackled a number of other unstable rock faces around this section of highway, with more to come to provide some future-proofing,” says Mr Pinner.

The main slip above SH6 south of Knights Point, taken Saturday after helicopter sluicing. Some of the loose rock from this site is being used to form a safety bund at the southern end to protect traffic from any future rock falls, the rest will be trucked away. The larger parts in the middle are still to be removed in coming weeks:

Bund/ safety barrier under construction Wednesday, 20 November:

All highway cracks were filled in earlier this week and drainage drilling outlets piped, with road levelling and load testing on Thursday. (See photo below showing drainage pipes.)

Loading excess material onto trucks this week:

A bund or safety wall has now been built from fallen rock at the southern end of the rockfall site.

Crews will continue to clear the catch pit between the old road alignment and the new route over coming weeks, requiring some Stop/Go traffic management. Some future more sizeable blasting work will also require road closures for part of some days, with details to be confirmed soon.

If there is further heavy rain, NZTA may close the road as a precaution.

Additional safety sensors and lights

Mr Pinner says there has been minimal movement on site since recording began on 9 November. However, some additional safety features are being installed. These include movement sensors in the ground that are linked to warning lights. If any ground movement is detected by the sensors, the lights will automatically warn drivers to stop as a hazard is present.  

“Thanks to all drivers for building in extra time over the next few weeks between Lake Moeraki and Haast,” says Mr Pinner. “It is never convenient to close a highway and the start of the summer tourism season was particularly unwelcome this year. But we need to be confident the route is safe.”

For further information:

• NZTA’s Journey Planner - West Coast highway conditions: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions/west-coast

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