Temporary fix for Port Waikato-Waikaretu Road starts

Work started on a temporary road on Monday 6 March to get round the slump on Port Waikato-Waikaretu Road, which happened during Cyclone Gabrielle.

A large deep-seated slip caused the road to slump by about two metres, just south of Port Waikato Camp, which means the road is impassable.

Now that initial geotechnical investigations have been completed, our roading partners Waikato District Alliance will construct a one-lane temporary road into the northern bank of the road by clearing loose material, placing fabric and Geogrid, backfilling with aggregate and diverting water away from the slip face.

The temporary stretch of road is expected to be finished by 20 March, weather permitting.

The one-lane road will be open to all general access vehicles. This includes standard trucks, buses, tractors weighing up to 44 tonnes, but excludes HPMV vehicles .

It is recommended that vehicles avoid travel through the temporary road at night or during heavy rain, if possible.

The aim is to have this work completed as quickly as possible due to the fact that the current alternative route (unsealed/sealed)  is via Wairamarama - Onewhero Road, Baker Road, Klondyke Road, and Tuakau Bridge-Port Waikato Road.

That route is 50km long and would take at least 75 minutes to get to Port Waikato from south of the slump.

A long-term solution, a complete rebuild of this 70m section of road, is likely to be a few months away due to the need to secure funding, completion of further investigation of the stability of that piece of ground and detailed design.