Tākaka Hill repairs finish in time for Christmas

Tākaka Hill will be open to two fully sealed lanes this Friday afternoon.

From 3pm Friday, December 17 the traffic light system on the Riwaka side of the SH60 hill will be switched off and two lanes will open to traffic after nearly four years of work to rebuild following Cyclone Gita.

Waka Kotahi say the speed limit for this section of highway will be temporarily set at 30km/h for a few days as work sites are tidied up prior to Christmas.

Waka Kotahi senior project manager Andrew Adams says while they're are pleased to have the road restored to two lanes they anticipate people will be used to the single lane/traffic light system after almost four years.

“We are asking everyone to take special care as this winding road with multiple bends is still narrow and requires all drivers to keep to their side of the white centreline,” says Andrew.

“There are no median barriers on this route to safely separate oncoming traffic so we ask all drivers to stay alert and keep left.”

With 15 work sites in total, s the first ten more straightforward sites were tackled in the first two years, with the five more complex and highly engineered sites with deep retaining walls designed and constructed over the past 18 months after geotechnical investigations.

“The first Covid-19 shutdown in April 2020 delayed the start on this work and pushed it into the winter months, affecting its final completion date,"

“We thank everyone who has contributed, as well as residents, business owners, trades people, visitors to Mohua/Golden Bay - who have been patient throughout," says Andrew.