Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Drivers can expect to see more work on State Highway 6 at Dellows Bluff with work to fix a new slip site set to get underway in February.
Resilience work has been ongoing at the area since a major rockfall in July 2022. This has seen rock scaling and rock blasting to remove overhanging rock and debris from the cliff face above the highway. Rock anchors, steel mesh, and protective shipping container barriers have also been installed at the site.
SH6 Dellows Bluff rockfall, July 2022.
Rob Service, System Manager Nelson/Tasman, says bad weather late last year caused a slip less than 200 metres away from the original rockfall site.
“This site also has an ongoing rockfall risk that we need to fix. From 10 February we’ll have crews and heavy machinery on site for around six to eight weeks carrying out remedial work.”
“Contractors will need to excavate and remove roughly 10,000 cubic metres of clay and rocks to establish a more stable face and create a bench above the road to capture any further rock falls,” Mr Service says.
Slip clearing, SH6 Dellows Bluff slip site – October 2024
He says the job is a big one and cannot be completed without affecting traffic on State Highway 6.
“We will have to close the highway’s southbound lane during the project. The space is needed to allow heavy machinery to operate and also to provide a safety buffer zone for traffic.”
“Reducing the road to one lane also means we will have to use stop/go traffic management and there will be times when we will have to stop traffic in both directions for 45-minute periods to ensure material, particularly dangerous overhanging boulders and trees, can be removed safely. Night closures are also likely to be used to help complete tree-felling too,” Mr Service says.
He appreciates the work will create significant delays for traffic.
“The nature of the work and the need to keep the public safe means this is unavoidable. Please bear with us while we get this job done. State Highway 6 is a critical transport link and resilience work like this is all about make the highway safer and more resilient in the future. There will be short-term pain, but it’s all about getting a long-term gain for road users and the local community.”
Steps will be in place to ensure access is available when needed. Allowances are being made to ensure school buses and school traffic can get through the work site, and access will always be available for emergency services. Updates on the project will be shared with the community as it progresses, including updates on any changes to traffic management at the slip site.
Works schedule
- 10 February to 13 March. Monday to Friday, 7 am to 6 pm
- Southbound lane closure.
- Stop/Stop controls will operate from 13 February to 15 February, 8 am – 6 pm.
- These will be on the hour with the road to reopen at 45 minutes past the hour to allow queued traffic to clear.
- Stop/Stop may occur outside of these times if there is a risk to road users, like a tree or boulder dislodged.
- Outside these times stop/go will be in place, when necessary, please plan accordingly.
- Drivers can expect delays of up to 10 minutes under stop/go.
- There will be lot of truck movements from the works area up to 1.5 kms to the north of the site. Drivers must follow all speed signs and warnings in place.
