Roading Update #11 Midday 7 April

There continues to be slips on our roads which means on-going road closures or road works with stop/go traffic management are in place across the Coromandel, so please drive with caution, expect delays, and avoid areas if possible.

Here is the situation at Midday, Friday 7 April:

Local road closures:

• Tapu-Coroglen Rd - is physically closed at 3kms from Tapu only, therefore residents on the Coroglen side of the slip can still get out via Coroglen, but the road is closed to through traffic and therefore road closure signage is in place at both the Tapu and Coroglen ends.

• Black Jack Road is open to one lane at approx 1km from SH25 (Kuaotunu side of Blackjack Road Hill).

• Sailors Grave Road - open.

• Colville Road open to one lane 1.5km after Papa Aroha motor camp and both lanes are expected to be open tomorrow.

• Port Charles Road - open, contractors are currently clearing other slips in area so please drive with caution.

• Waiomu Valley Rd Ford - open now water has receded.

• Te Kouma Rd - open to one lane.

• Purangi Rd - (before the vineyard going into Cooks Beach) open to one lane.

No other District roads are reported closed.

State Highway network:

• SH25 near to Sailors Grave Road, Pumpkin Hill - both lanes are now open, however traffic management remains in place and a speed restriction of 30km also applies to the area.

• SH25A Kopu to Hikuai road - due to road works, stop/go traffic management is in place. Please drive with caution and expect delays.

• SH25 Whenuakite to Pauanui - due to road works in the area, stop/go traffic management is in place.

State Highway 25 'Thames Coast Road' is closed from Waiomu to Kereta.

Our contractors continue to work to clear the 100-plus slips on State Highway 25, Thames Coast Road, and it is expected the road will be closed for the next few days until this work can be completed.

There has been another significant slip on this road (SH25) at Ruamahunga Bay. The road is closed and at this stage residents between Ruamahunga and Kereta are isolated and contractors are working hard to get the Kereta slip cleared so residents have access north to Coromandel and it is expected to have one lane open this afternoon.

The slip at Ruamahanga is extreme and still unstable and everyone should avoid the area, including people walking on the coastline, as it is still extremely hazardous.

The Thames Coast Road has a sign at Tararu saying Coromandel - Closed and Tapu- Closed.

Apart from minor falls, the road is clear all the way to Waiomu. The road just north of Waiomu is closed and will likely remain so over the weekend, due to the slip at Ruamahanga.

There is a cordon where the 309 Road meets SH25 and people wanting to go south from there have to prove they are residents.

There is another cordon at Te Mata restricting people going south from there.

All unnecessary travel on the coast road is discouraged as further slips are a real possibility and heavy vehicle traffic moving fallen rocks and mud increase the risk to the public.

We encourage you to avoid this area unless you are a resident. It is advised if you live on, or need to use the Thames Coast Road, that you only do so for emergencies until the closure has been lifted.

For State Highway updates (including Thames Coast Road and Kopu-Hikuai Road) see the NZTA website and follow NZTA Waikato BoP on Facebook.

Events

A Taste of Matarangi (Wine and Food Festival) is still on this weekend.

We are working on creating a map showing closure of SH25 Thames Coast Rd and suggest taking the detour to Matarangi via SH25A Kopu-Hikuai through to Whitianga.

Please note during this detour SH25A Kopu to Hikuai and SH25 Whenuakite to Pauanui road do have road works. Therefore, stop/go traffic management may be in place during your travel. Please drive with caution and expect delays.

For other events on around the Coromandel please see 'What's on in the Coromandel' here.

How to keep up-to-date with what is happening

Severe weather warnings and watches have been issued for most of New Zealand this week.

Check www.metservice.com/warnings/home or follow MetService on Facebook here to stay up-to-date.

For weather alerts and information on how to prepare for emergencies download the NZ Red Cross Hazard App.

The Red Cross Hazards app is available from:

App store for iOS devices

Google Play store for Android devices

Check our Council's home page for news updates and alerts, follow our Facebook page and subscribe to our email newsletters and Twitter feed @OurCoromandel.

If you don't have a smartphone or other mobile device, or don't use the internet, organise someone who does to call you and vice-versa. Think about elderly neighbours, family and friends who are perhaps on their own and may need support.

For State Highway roading updates (SH25 and SH25A on the Coromandel) NZTA offer real time traffic and travel information emailed directly to you letting you know if there's a significant hold up or need for caution on the State Highway you travel on. You can register your route here onthemove.govt.nz or for general updates follow NZTA Waikato on Facebook and see their website here.

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