Waka Kotahi has secured a total of $100m of funding for SH1 Mangamuka Gorge, but can't say if this will be enough to reopen the road.
Waka Kotahi has secured a total of $100m of funding for SH1 Mangamuka Gorge, but can't say if this will be enough to reopen the road.
Far North residents left in limbo following the closure of State Highway 1 (SH1) through Mangamuka Gorge had mixed reactions to Waka Kotahi’s latest funding announcement, which may not be enough to open the crucial road.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has now secured a total of $100 million of funding to “restore SH1 Mangamuka Gorge to its original condition” after severe weather forced the closure of the vital transport link in August.
The funding includes $14m already approved for emergency work to protect the road from further damage, but during this work, the road will remain closed to traffic.
The Government transport agency is still not able to say how much the total fix will cost and there is still no timeline for repairs.
Waka Kotahi project director for transport services, Norman Collier, said detailed design work “will still need to be completed to understand how much the slip repairs will cost, and a timeframe for reopening the road”.
“We are also working through procurement, further investigations, and resourcing materials so we can start work as quickly as possible once the detailed design process has been completed.”
When asked if the extra $86m was enough to fix the road so it can be reopened to traffic, or if more funding will need to be applied for, Waka Kotahi did not respond.
Kaitaia Business Association chairwoman Andrea Panther said the community “just needs the road open”.
“We’re grateful there is something toward it,” she said.
“I hope it’s not just trying to shut us up, as it needs to be actioned now.
“It needs to be enough to actually get it open, rather than just stopping the slips getting worse.”
Far North councillor Ann Court surveys the damage of State Highway 1 through Mangamuka Gorge, which was closed in August following bad weather.
The funding announcement has been welcomed by Far North Mayor Moko Tepania, who posted on social media: “This is outstanding news this side of Christmas to know that funding has been committed to reopen SH1 at Mangamuka Gorge.
“Looking forward to the New Year to get a better idea around timelines and when we can expect to see this vital lifeline between the communities of the Far North to the Mid North and the rest of the country reopened.”
The news was also welcomed by the Northland Regional Transport Committee and the Northland Regional Council.
“The Northland Regional Transport Committee greatly appreciates the Government’s financial commitment to enable Waka Kotahi to reinstate the failed sections of SH1 Mangamuka Gorge as a national priority,” committee chairman Joe Carr said.
It’s the second time the gorge has been closed in recent years; it was also hit by major slips in July 2020, and repairs took almost a year and cost $13.8m.
This year’s closure means, once again, motorists have to detour along SH10, adding at least 30 minutes to journeys and loading more traffic onto the smaller highway.
Residents, businesses and the Far North District Council have become increasingly frustrated at what’s perceived to be a lack of action over the reopening of the gorge.
Collier said Waka Kotahi had already engaged with key contractors who are “in the process of mobilising the resources needed to complete repairs”.
Work to fix the road would include three phases.
These included protecting the road from further damage, which involves emergency works within the gorge, as well as improvements to SH10 to ensure it’s working safely and efficiently. $14m has been set aside for this work.
The second stage would be restoring the road to fix the slips and return it to its original condition.
Collier said the final stage would be investigating how the road can be improved and future-proofed to ensure the Far North roading network can withstand weather events in the future.
“With unstable ground conditions in the Maungataniwha Ranges along with ongoing impacts of climate change, the Mangamuka Gorge will be challenged with resilience issues for many years to come,” Collier said.
“We are thinking strategically about our next steps and will investigate how we can ensure the Far North roading network can stand the test of time, and the level of funding required to achieve this.”
