Police expect to open State Highway One south of Whangarei within the next 15 minutes - 6.30pm Friday
A fatal crash involving a car and a truck and trailer unit containing diesel at around 12.30pm today meant both lanes of SH1 were closed for the last 5.5 hours.
Inspector Murray Hodson is hopeful that one lane will be open within the next 15 minutes, but with a temporary speed limit of 30km/hr, which will be enforced overnight. "We ask people to have patience when driving through the speed limit area."
As a result of the crash diesel spilled over a 100m stretch on the southern side of Lookout Hill, lifting the bitumen and making the road like a "skating bowl".
Contractors have laid sand across 100-200m of the road to soak up the diesel, he said.