$1.5 million needed to fix Wellington's Takarau Gorge Rd

Wellington City Council said the road that links Johnsonville to Makara Beach will need around $1.5 million worth of repairs to be fixed. Photo / Wellington City Council

The Takarau Gorge Road will remain shut to the public for several weeks following extensive damage caused by the storm that hit Wellington two weeks ago.

Wellington City Council said the road that links Johnsonville to Makara Beach will need around $1.5 million worth of repairs to be fixed.

Infrastructure manager Brad Singh said several hundred metres of the road were "torn up and pretty much wrecked", after heavy rain turned the Ohariu Stream into a raging torrent through the narrow gorge.

several hundred metres of the road were destroyed due to the flooding. Photo / Wellington City Council

Singh said at least two culverts (tunnels) under the road will have to be replaced.

Contractors have started the repair job and it is likely the damaged section will be reopened with a temporary gravel surface in a few weeks, he said.

Resealing of the road will be carried out when warmer weather arrives later in the year.

The storm that affected the road was dubbed a once in a decade rainfall event and caused damage across the region.

This included flooding on several roads, a land slip endangering two Newlands homes, and a wastewater main bursting under State Highway 1 near Paremata.