Gisborne Herald
  • Gisborne Herald Home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport

Locations

  • Gisborne
  • Bay of Plenty
  • Hawke's Bay

Media

  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Gisborne Herald

SH35 reopened, ‘still a lot of work to do’

Gisborne Herald
23 Aug, 2023 09:43 AMQuick Read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Logs and other debris burst out of the bush on SH35 near Motu bluff on Sunday afternoon. Picture by Jeremy Coombes/TVNZ

Logs and other debris burst out of the bush on SH35 near Motu bluff on Sunday afternoon. Picture by Jeremy Coombes/TVNZ

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says State Highway 35 is open again, after logs and debris cascaded on to the highway on Sunday afternoon.

But the agency has cautioned it “won’t hesitate” to close the road again if more safety fears arise.

The highway reopened to a single lane at the site of a large slip between Beach Road and the Motu River Bridge, east of Opotiki, yesterday.

Jeremy Coombes and some fishing buddies were on their way home after a weekend at East Cape when they saw some trees on the road ahead.

He braked in time to see the landslide, hurling logs like matchsticks, burst on to the road in front of his vehicle.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Waka Kotahi Bay of Plenty transport systems manager Roger Brady said contractors worked urgently yesterday to clear enough material, including large fallen trees, to allow the road to safely reopen to a single lane. They would be working to clear the remainder of the slip.

“Our contractors have done a great job to get a lane open so quickly,” he said. “There is still a lot of work to do, and we’re asking people to drive safely through the site and comply with the temporary speed restrictions which are in place to keep drivers and workers safe.”

Geotechnical engineers would continue to monitor the site closely to manage any risks of further debris coming down on to the road. This means the road may need to close again if weather or visibility deteriorated.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“We know how important this connection is for residents and businesses in the area, and we’re doing everything possible to stabilise the site and keep the road open, but the safety of road users and roadworkers is our top priority and we won’t hesitate to close the road again if needed.”

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Gisborne Herald

Gisborne Herald

Gretchen La Roche on her musical journey and promotion of the arts

11 Jul 06:00 AM
Gisborne Herald

One critically injured, part of SH35 blocked after crash involving car and truck

11 Jul 03:46 AM
Gisborne Herald

Heavy rain and wind warnings for northern Tairāwhiti not expected to affect weekend

11 Jul 02:07 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Gisborne Herald

Gretchen La Roche on her musical journey and promotion of the arts

Gretchen La Roche on her musical journey and promotion of the arts

11 Jul 06:00 AM

'I feel so proud to have grown up in Gisborne.'

One critically injured, part of SH35 blocked after crash involving car and truck

One critically injured, part of SH35 blocked after crash involving car and truck

11 Jul 03:46 AM
Heavy rain and wind warnings for northern Tairāwhiti not expected to affect weekend

Heavy rain and wind warnings for northern Tairāwhiti not expected to affect weekend

11 Jul 02:07 AM
Waikaremoana Lake Great Walk's popularity on the rise

Waikaremoana Lake Great Walk's popularity on the rise

11 Jul 12:00 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Gisborne Herald
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Gisborne Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP