Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Drivers travelling on the inland route, State Highway 65, between Murchison and Springs Junction will need to detour from next week with resilience works planned on the highway at Higgins Bluff.
Contractors will be onsite on the Shenandoah Highway near Ariki, from Monday, 10 March, when they will begin rock scaling work on a five-kilometre section of the state highway.
They will remove overhanging rock and debris from the cliff face above the highway. The project is about reducing rockfall risk and improving the highway’s safety, long-term resilience, and its reliability – particularly during severe weather events.
Because rock scaling can only be done safely during the day the work will require daytime road closures.
Full highway closures will be in place on State Highway 65, between 7am and 7pm, from Monday 10 March to Friday 14 March. It means drivers heading south to Springs Junction will have to detour via
State Highway 6 O’Sullivan’s Bridge to Inangahua Junction, then via State Highway 69 to Reefton and State Highway 7 to Springs Junction.
NZTA/Waka Kotahi is working with the freight industry, the local community, and the local school to ensure those affected by this work can plan in advance.
This is a significant detour and will require around 45-minutes extra travel time. Drivers should plan their journeys accordingly.
NZTA/Waka Kotahi acknowledges the closure will create delays and disruption for drivers. However, it is necessary as it is not safe to have traffic driving through the project site when rocks are being removed from the cliff face.
Following the road closures, work will continue under stop/go and 30 km/hr temporary speed limits from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, until March 28. During this time anchors and mesh rock-protection will be installed on the bluff face.
NZTA/Waka Kotahi is working with the freight industry, the local community, and the local school to ensure those affected by this work can make arrangements in advance.
Works schedule:
- Full road closure. Monday, 10 March to Friday 14 March, 7am – 7pm.
- The road will reopen to two lanes outside of work hours, except at Higgins Bluff which will remain under stop/go and a 30km/h reduced temporary speed limit.
- During work hours the detour route will be via State Highway 6 O’Sullivan’s Bridge to Inangahua Junction, then via State Highway 69 to Reefton and State Highway 7 to Springs Junction.
- Allow an extra 45 minutes travel time when travelling on the detour route.
- Emergency services will be accommodated through the closure.
- Following the closures, work continues under stop/go and temporary speed limits, Monday to Friday, 7am – 7pm, between Monday 17 and Friday 28 March 2025.
More information
This work is funded by the Crown Resilience Programme – a $419 million investment package of resilience improvement activities that will reduce the impact of severe weather events on our national roading networks. The total crown resilience programme comprises $279 million for activities on State Highways, and $140 million for activities on Local Roads – Crown Resilience Programme (CRP)
