Transit Napier Regional Office
Media Release
21 April 2006
Slip closes State Highway 5 at Waipunga
Transit New Zealand has closed State Highway 5 at Waipunga following a slip which swept a car and unmanned earth moving
equipment down a valley around noon today.
The driver of the car was rescued and received moderate injuries.
Today’s slip follows an earlier incident last Friday morning, when another slip occurred, resulting in approximately
3,000 cubic metres of material being removed in the clean-up.
Today’s highway closure is displayed on road signs at Esk Valley and Taupo.
Police and Transit contractors were managing traffic through a single lane when the incident occurred, but closed the
highway following the slip, due the risk of further collapse of the embankment.
The highway will remain closed this afternoon in order to clear loose material and make the site safe for the travelling
public.
It is anticipated that the state highway will be reopened to one lane later today.
It is expected that up to 12,000 cubic metres will have to be removed to restore stability to the site.
ENDS