3 September 2019
Porters Pass, SH73, between Canterbury and the West Coast, highway update after Sunday’s bush fire
A key alpine route between Canterbury and the West Coast, State Highway 73, will be a slower journey than usual for
several weeks as guardrail is replaced and the highway cleared of rockfall.
Around 2.5 km of steep highway at Porters Pass, between Springfield and Castle Hill, will remain as single lane with
Stop/Go until the guardrail has been restored. Rockfall will also be cleared from under the cliff faces, dislodged
during the firefighting on Sunday, says Tresca Forrester, Journey Manager for the NZ Transport Agency.
Guardrail replacements start on Monday, 9 September, after the posts were burnt in Sunday’s bush fire which fully closed
the highway between 6 am and 5 pm. (See photo below)
“Please expect delays and be patient once you are through the Stop/Go area,” says Ms Forrester. “There are temporary
speed limits in place around the fire-affected areas and we need our crews to be safe in the next month while they
replace the guardrail which prevents drivers going over the edge.
“The fire damage has heightened the risk of rockfall debris in some areas, particularly in wet weather. We know that wet
weather is forecast for Wednesday and Thursday this week so our crews will be monitoring during this period for any more
rockfall.
“The road may close at short notice if there are safety concerns.”
• Check the highway status at this link: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/areawarnings/270780
• The other key route between Canterbury and the West Coast is via the Lewis Pass, SH7.
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