SH35 at Kopuaroa Hill to close for nine hours

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

State Highway 35 at Kopuaroa Hill, beyond Te Puia Springs, will close for up to nine hours this Sunday (September 10) to make improvements to drainage.

The installation of a new culvert to replace and reposition older drainage is part of the Kopuaroa Hill resilience work that has been under way since late last year.

The road will close at 6am and reopen at 3pm.

The road will be closed north and south of Kopuaroa Hill, in locations where road users can safely turn around.

If work is completed before 3pm, the road will reopen earlier. Drivers are asked to check the interactive Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website for up-to-date information.

Later this month, contractors will be replacing a rockfall fence on Tatapouri Hill and constructing a rock revetment wall at Turihaua Point. These projects will also help to improve the safety and resilience of the area.

Stop/go traffic management will be in place with delays expected. Further details, including start dates for Tatapouri Hill and Turihaua Point, will be confirmed and shared with the community as soon as possible.