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Disastrous flooding in the Whangarei and Far North districts late last month has left a legacy of closed and damaged roads that won't be repaired for weeks.
Worst affected is the Russell Road, from Whakapara north of Whangarei, that gives access to a string of small coastal and rural settlements south of the Bay of Islands.
The road remains closed by a huge slip measuring more than 30 metres on the Helena Bay Hill .
The Whangarei District Council estimates the road will be closed for between eight and 12 weeks, cutting off direct access from the south to Helena Bay, Mokau, Oakura, Whangaruru South, Punaruku, Whangaruru and also to Whangaruru North and Bland Bay on the Whangaruru North Road.
An alternative route in from the south is through three narrow, winding and metalled back roads - Pigs Head, Kaiikanui and Webb Roads.
The Whangarei District Council said the Kaiikanui Road is unsuitable for campervans, motorhomes, buses and vehicles towing caravans or boats.
An updated message board has been set up at the Whakapara garage, just before the Russell Road turnoff on SH1 north of Whangarei, advising travellers of the road closure.
It recommends an easier, but longer, detour from Helena Bay north by going to Opua, taking the vehicular ferry across to Okiato Pt, and then driving towards Russell before turning south on the Russell Road to access the settlements.
A one-way system controlled by traffic lights has been installed by the Whangarei council on the most dangerous 1km section of Kaiikanui Road to improve safety through that section of road.
Motorists have been urged to be patient while waiting for opposing traffic to clear the section controlled by the lights.
The council warns against running the red light.
Other roads still closed in the Whangarei district are Applecross, Ormiston and Springfield - all in the Ruakaka area south of the city.
Springfield and Ormiston are expected to be closed for through traffic for between four and eight weeks.
More than a dozen other local roads are open but reduced to single lanes because of slips, dropouts or other damage.
In the Far North, roads are open but access is limited on the arterial Waiare Road where it is closed by an underslip at the Kaeo end. Parts of Waikare Road are down to one lane.
Far North District Council spokesman Rick McCall says damage to the Far North's roading network (excluding state highways) is between $6 million and $8 million.
Non-habitation notices have been placed on 18 houses which are considered at risk or dangerous to live in, pending engineering and land stability reports.
Most are in Opua and Paihia.
Meanwhile, the Earthquake Commission had by yesterday received 212 claims from the Far North district relating to houses and land damaged by slips and landslides during the March 29 storm.
Commission claims manager Keith Long said these claims had a collective value of $2.63 million, while 156 claims so far from the Whangarei district are valued at $1.5 million.
