ROADING UPDATE – ŌTOROHANGA DISTRICT

Ōtorohanga District Council and roading contractors Inframax Construction Ltd are working together to repair damage to roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Please respect all road closures.

Updated 16 March

Lurman Road (Maihiihi) – Now open with caution.
A large amount of slip material is being removed from the road, and there are numerous culverts under the road that require unblocking. Only residents are permitted to drive on this road at this time. We hope to open the road fully during the next week, subject to progress.

Otewa Road – Now open with one lane.
Please drive with caution through the marked lane. Do not stop or walk under the slip. Drivers of large vehicles are advised to take particular care and make their own judgement about whether to proceed.

We would like to thank the community for your patience as we work to repair the remaining roads damaged in the recent severe weather event. Our contractors have been working hard since the February floods to repair roads and clear debris from slips affecting the roading network.

We appreciate there have been significant impacts on some in the community. Information below outlines progress on roads that remain closed or partially closed. Some repairs will take longer where damage is more significant, as we want to ensure lasting solutions.

All timeframes are weather-dependent and subject to change as new challenges may be discovered as work continues. If you do not have residents-only access, please respect all road closure signs. Please check this page regularly for the latest roading updates.

ROADS CLOSED

Mangati Road (Puketotara) – from approximately 7km onwards
Our contractors are bringing in a permanent bridge on 17 March to replace the one washed out in the February flood. We’re aiming to have it open by 20 March (weather dependent). There will be rolling closures of the road for short periods of time to deliver the bridge, but residents will still have access to their homes via the temporary gravel ford we built. Please note: There are two Mangati Bridges in Ōtorohanga District. This one is owned by us.  NZTA is working to install a temporary bridge on the Mangati Bridge on state highway 39. The ford is strictly for residents only and depends on the water level in the stream.

Please note there are two Mangati bridges in the Ōtorohanga District. The Mangati Road bridge is owned by Ōtorohanga District Council. The other Mangati Bridge, located on State Highway 39, is owned by NZTA.

Pirongia West Road (Pirongia / Te Pahu)
This road is open except at the Pekanui Road end, where there are multiple slips through the bush section. The affected area runs for approximately 3km beginning around 5km from the Pekanui Road end. The closure does not affect residential properties. Contractors are clearing the bush section and we anticipate the road may reopen in approximately two weeks.

State Highway 39 – Ngutunui Road to Te Tahi Road
Due to bridge and flood damage, SH39 remains closed between Ngutunui Road and Te Tahi Road (NZTA).

Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced on 26 February that a temporary bridge is expected to be installed on SH39 by mid-March, reconnecting the community south of Pirongia after the Mangati Bridge was destroyed in the floods.

Current access conditions:

• Tihiroa to Puketotara Road – Open

• Puketotara Road to Te Tahi Road – Closed

• Te Tahi Road to Pirongia – Open

• Ōtorohanga to SH31 and Ngutunui Road – Open

Please note there are two Mangati bridges in the district. The SH39 bridge is owned by NZTA Waka Kotahi, while the Mangati Road bridge in Puketotara is owned by Ōtorohanga District Council.

For the latest information on state highways, please check the NZTA Waka Kotahi online journey planner.

ROADS OPEN WITH ONE LANE ONLY

The following roads are open but have sections reduced to one lane due to slips or dropouts (where land underneath the road has fallen away).

Contractors are working on these roads and delays may occur. Thank you for your patience.

• Aotearoa Road

• Bayley Road

• Hikurangi Road

• Kio Kio Station Road

• Kiwi Road

• Maihiihi Road

• Mangati Road (to approximately the 7km mark)

• Ngaroma Road

• Otewa Road (drivers of large vehicles should make their own judgement whether to proceed)

• Lurman Road

• Otoru Road

• Paewhenua Road

• Pirongia West Road (open except at Pekanui Road end)

• SH31 (between SH39 and Ngutunui Road)

• Tauraroa Valley Road

• Taupaki Road

• Te Kawa Road

• Wairehi Road