Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Residents and regular users of State Highway 1 in Marlborough need to be ready for a series of night closures at Weld Pass beginning 9 October.
From Sunday, 9 October to Thursday, 13 October, the road will be closed between 10 pm and 6 am for planned maintenance work. Access through the site will be available for emergency services if required.
Andrew James, System Manager Top of the South, says the work will see multiple maintenance works carried out, including preparation for asphalting work planned for January next year.
“This work is essential for keeping the highway up to standard and safe for road users. There’s an old saying, ‘a stitch in time saves nine’, doing regular maintenance work like this helps us avoid spending more on major repairs later.”
Mr James says Waka Kotahi understands closures can be frustrating for road users, but it is the safest and most efficient option for work such as this.
“State Highway 1 Weld Pass is a narrow and winding road, with no room for vehicles to safely pass roadwork sites. Using stop/go traffic management simply isn’t an option if we want to keep our road crews safe. The other advantage is a full closure allows our contractors to work uninterrupted and get the job done much quicker.”
Location of Weld pass, State Highway 1, Marlborough
Road users are urged to check the highway’s status and plan their travel while this work is underway. The only alternative route between Picton and Christchurch will be the inland route via Murchison and the Lewis Pass – this adds 90 minutes to two hours to travel times between Christchurch and Picton.
More night closures for State Highway 1 Weld Pass are scheduled for resealing work between 22 January and 3 February 2023.
Waka Kotahi wants to thank road users for their patience and understanding while this essential maintenance work is carried out.
