Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Road users travelling to Gisborne on State Highway 35 (SH35) should expect delays as flood resilience recovery work begins at Rototahe (south of Tolaga Bay) from tomorrow (Tuesday 16 September).
Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) and local contractors, on behalf of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, will be lifting a 200m section of SH35 through Rototahe by almost 1 metre (0.83m) and improving drainage with culvert improvements and replacements to keep water away from the road.
TREC Project Manager Richard Bayley says this section is often the first area on SH35 to flood in a weather event, disconnecting communities north of Rototahe from Gisborne.
“By addressing the root causes of flooding and road closures by lifting the road and significantly upgrading the culverts, we’ll provide a safer and more reliable route for the region. This not only keeps the road open and operating for motorists and emergency services but it allows better operation from a maintenance perspective by helping move resources in a weather event.
“We’ve had NZ Police, Civil Defence and Iwi supportive of this project since day one,” says Mr Bayley.
Anne McGuire of local Iwi Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti has been working alongside TREC on various SH35 projects and says having a reliable road is more than just transport, it’s about staying connected as whanau, hapu and iwi.
“This work at Rototahe helps ensure our communities are not cut off during storms, and that lifelines for kai, medicines, and emergency services remain open. We welcome this partnership and the commitment to strengthening SH35 so our people and future generations can travel safely along the coast.”
Local company Parata Contracting Ltd will undertake the main works and traffic management at Rototahe. Fulton Hogan will manage the road surfacing works once construction is complete.
Traffic impacts
A northbound section of the Rototahe straight will be under stop/go traffic management Monday to Friday from 7am to 5pm. A 30km/h temporary speed limit will be in place.
Please expect possible delays of 5 – 10 minutes.
The stop/go traffic management is expected to be in place until mid-October when work moves to the southbound lane.
The project is expected to take up to 6 months to complete.
We realise local communities aren’t strangers to delays on the state highway, and we really appreciate people’s support while these works are carried out.
More information
TREC Rototahe flood resilience
Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) Alliance in Tairāwhiti now has its four major projects underway – SH35 Mangahauini Gorge, Hikuwai Bridge No.1, Rototahe and State Highway 2 Hakanui Straight (Nesbitt’s Dip).
