Napier-Wairoa road: SH2 Christmas present coming for holidaymakers as workers tackle slips sites

The section of State Highway 2 at White Pine Bush that contractors plan to have back to two lanes by Christmas.

Those heading to their holidays at Mahia will get a welcome Christmas present with highway repairs that the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says will restore three damaged sections of State Highway 2 to two lanes.

In August, the Labour Government committed $120 million to road works needed on the highway after Cyclone Gabrielle.

The road was closed for two months before being reopened in May with the first traffic across a Bailey bridge at the site of the cyclone-demolished Waikare River Bridge north of Putorino.

All the damaged sections have been down to one lane for almost 10 months since February’s cyclone. The long-awaited resurrection of two lanes began on Thursday when Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) contractors began a section at Sandy Creek, south of Putorino.

Work on two other sites at White Pine Bush and Mautaua, north of Kotemaori, is due to start on Monday, NZTA says.

Crews will be working 7am-5pm daily at the sites with temporary traffic management in place and temporary lower speed limits as contractors strive to complete the work in the warmer months to allow resealing to cure as quickly as possible.

NZTA has suggested motorists passing through the sites give roadworkers a friendly wave and respect the crews by driving carefully.

The TREC alliance is a partnership between NZTA, KiwiRail, Downer, Fulton Hogan and Higgins.

NZTA says it’s focused on summer maintenance and renewal work, in addition to recovery work, such as rebuilding, to improve people’s journeys, making the roads safer and more efficient while permanent solutions are designed.