Slump repairs means an extra week of night closures for State Highway 2, Remutaka Hill

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

One week of planned night closures for State Highway 2, Remutaka Hill, in September has been extended to two weeks.

The extension allows contractors to carry out substantial repairs on a slump site on the Featherston side of the hill and complete routine maintenance across the rest of the route.

Contactors will begin physical works on stabilising the slump in the week starting 28 August. Piles will be driven down to solid rock, and a retaining wall will be built.

It means the night closures will run from Sunday 3 September to Friday 8 September and Sunday 10 September to Friday 15 September – this is one extra week than initially scheduled.

There will be no closures on Friday and Saturday nights, meaning the route will be open to all traffic on these nights.

Mark Owen, Regional Manager Lower North Island/Top of the South, says the extra week is necessary for the slump site repairs.

“This is because of the size of equipment required for various aspects of the project. Other work will continue through the day with stop/go traffic control for at least six weeks.”

Mr Owen says the aim is to get the slump fixed as quickly and efficiently as possible.

“Doing it during a night closure makes the job a lot easier for contractors as they don’t have to delay and stop work to let vehicles through the construction area.”

“The works planned for the daytime won’t have a big impact on traffic either. To date, our stop/go traffic lights have worked well since being put in place at the slump site. Our data show minor delay times of up to two minutes at most,” Mr Owen says.

Remutaka Hill – other planned maintenance work

The two weeks of night closures will also see other maintenance tasks carried out across the route – rockfall and drain clearing, and barrier repairs.

It means regular users of State Highway 2, Remutaka Hill must plan ahead as access to the route will be strictly limited and escorted crossings will be reserved for people who have booked in advance

People wanting to cross the hill during the closures should book the week in advance for an escorted crossing.

Full closures allow road crews to work more efficiently and complete repairs faster. It is also much safer as some maintenance work requires large machinery that uses most of the road area.

 Waka Kotahi understands these closures do cause travel delays. However, these regular maintenance closures are essential for keeping a vital state highway link open. They also significantly reduce the risk of bigger failures, which could create more disruption for road users. We appreciate your patience and understanding while our contractors carry out their work.

 Important information for Remutaka Hill closures:

• Escorted crossings are available during closure nights but must be booked in advance. We always communicate well before planned closures and provide contact details so bookings can be made.
• Bookings are essential – drivers who turn up without one risk being turned away. If you have a genuine emergency on the night, the hill manager will decide how best to help you.
• The escorted crossings are for light vehicles only. To keep our contractors safe, heavy vehicles can’t be accommodated.
• Full access to the route is always available for emergency services.

State Highway 2, Remutaka Hill Closure Dates. July–December 2023

More information about planned maintenance closures for Remutaka Hill can be found on our website:

SH2 Remutaka Hill road night closures

MIL OSI