UPDATE (26 August)
The road is OPEN.
State Highway 2 at Waiotahe beach, reopened at 5pm tonight following a large slip which fell on the highway on Sunday 18 August, closing the road between Waiotahi Valley Back Road and Paerata Ridge Road.
Further work will be required in areas outside the lanes next week, which may require stop/go traffic management to repair the wire rope barrier.
UPDATE (20 August)
Clearance of the slip blocking both lanes of State Highway 2 at Waiotahe beach began this afternoon.
SH2 remains closed between Waiotahi Valley Back Road and Paerata Ridge Road due to the slip which fell overnight Sunday night.
Pōhutukawa trees above the slip face have been removed by arborists today with the assistance of a digger pulling the trees back onto farmland.
Unfortunately the trees were at high risk of falling onto the road and couldn’t be left in place. Now that that risk has been remedied, NZTA contractors have begun removal of slip material from the base.
Fine weather is forecast until the weekend which should aid in progress, but it’s expected SH2 will need to remain closed here until Friday afternoon 23 August.
The team are working hard and will open sooner if possible.
Te detour (below) remains in place.
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Original message (18 August)
A large slip has fallen overnight, blocking both lanes of State Highway 2 (SH2) at Waiotahe beach, near Ōpōtiki.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises SH2 is closed between Waiotahi Valley Back Road and Paerata Ridge Road until further notice.
NZTA geotechnical crews are assessing the risk posed by remaining pōhutukawa trees above the slip face this morning. Contractors will begin clearing the earth and debris as soon as it’s safe to do so.
This is a substantial slip and SH2 is likely to be closed for a number of days.
NZTA will update the community and road users as soon as we have more information.
Road users should allow extra time for the detour which is:
East bound traffic: Right onto Waiotahi Valley Back Road, Verrall Road, Left Paerata Ridge Road before rejoining SH2. West bound traffic in reverse.
Road Works and Closures
