State Highway 6 between West Coast and Otago reopening midday, Te Anau to Milford Sound Piopiotahi staying closed

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency plans to reopen a key link between the West Coast and Otago at midday today.

State Highway 6 which runs along the West Coast was closed late yesterday morning at Burke Flat, between Haast in South Westland and Makarora in Otago. Torrential rain triggered a substantial slip covering both lanes of the road.

The slip continued to move yesterday and overnight and the clean-up is underway this morning, says Moira Whinham, Maintenance Contract Manager for Waka Kotahi on the West Coast.

“Drivers should expect delays as the crew works to fully re-open two lanes and also watch out for high winds which are not abating at this stage,” she says.

The West Coast experienced heavy rain and blustery winds overnight with some small slips and trees knocked down, mainly SH73 the Arthur’s Pass route to Canterbury. Crews are cleaning any minor slips up this morning and drivers are urged to take care.

More rain, snow on Arthur’s Pass

More rain is forecast for today and tomorrow on the West Coast and the highway passes with a snow showers warning for Arthur’s Pass (SH73) today from MetService which runs through to Wednesday morning. (6-10 cm of snow may accumulate on the road near the summit, smaller amounts to 600 metres.)

• For traffic updates on SH6 see this link: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/roadclosures/313747

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