Road crews will use explosives to help clear a huge slip which closed State Highway 11, between Paihia and Kawakawa, in Northland over a month ago.
Work is at a point where dynamite blasting is now a safe, viable option for moving a lot of the remaining loose material from the hillside in a controlled manner, says NZ Transport Agency system manager Steve Mutton.
There was still a significant amount of earth and rock sitting above the roadway and crews were now in a position to change the method and bring a lot of the remaining loose material down the face of the slip, he said.
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"We're conscious of the importance of the link to the Bay of Islands for locals and tourists and we're working to reopen the road as soon as we can."