An on-site meeting of engineers today identified options for repairing the damage to the Paekakariki Hill Road.
Driving of test piles over the next few days will determine the best option and, by the end of this week, the Council
should be in a position to say how long the road will need to be closed and have an estimate of the total costs.
While the solutions will deal with the effects of the washout and reinstate the road, the aim as far as possible, is to
deal with the causes of this weekend’s problems and minimise the risk of a recurrence.
To reduce the risk of any further blockages of the State Highway at the point below the washout, construction of a new
debris catcher will be discussed with Transit New Zealand. There are also plans for additional culverts to be installed
to manage water and debris flows more effectively in future events.
Every effort will be made to reinstate the road and reopen it as soon as possible.
ENDS