Manawatu Gorge closure stalls holiday traffic, cuts Woodville business

Large slips have prevented the Manawatu Gorge from opening since April 24, hurting Woodville businesses. Photo/ Supplied

The Manawatu Gorge remained closed for Queen's Birthday Weekend bringing pain to many local businesses.

Tararua Mayor Tracey Collis said the closure of State Highway 3 between Woodville and Ashhurst hit businesses hard with minimal traffic going through.

"I went through at about 10am on Monday and there was hardly any traffic or people out and about in the shops and cafes."

The gorge was closed on April 24 and was supposed to open three weeks later, however the opening date remains unknown.

"They have extended it by two weeks due to new slips and a hole so we don't actually know when but I am hoping for a more positive update on Tuesday."

One of the businesses hurting is the Ormond Street Motel in Woodville. Owner Joy Barnes said this was the quietest weekend they had experienced for months.

"It was dead, absolutely dead and I would just love to see traffic flowing again through this little town."

She said normally they would be running at 80 to 90 per cent capacity but this weekend they were about 20 per cent.

"Holy heck, it was very unusual and actually felt weird. We were so quiet I could go out for a huge walk."

It was clear an update on when the gorge would be opened was needed rapidly, Ms Collis said, as some businesses were reaching that critical point.

However, when Ms Collis drove through yesterday evening she said she did notice a bit more activity in and around the fish and chip shops and petrol stations.

"We had good weather during the weekend so I hope no progress with the slips was ruined and everything is on track."

New Zealand Transport Agency highway manager Ross I'Anson said geotechnical engineers were inspecting the two slip sites and a detailed assessment was expected this week.

It will be identifying the stability of the slip sites, confirming when conditions will be safe enough to allow traffic to travel through the gorge, and whether any additional work will be required.

"We understand that this lengthy closure and the uncertainty around reopening is frustrating for everyone affected by it. We will reopen the road as soon as we are confident that it is safe to do so and we thank everyone for their patience and understanding of the difficulty in completing this work".

When the road is reopened Mr I'Anson said the Transport Agency would also be implementing a regular monitoring programme to observe any changes to the rock slopes and surfaces to ensure the route remains safe for everyone using the road.

With the Pahiatua Track and the Saddle Road continuing as the alternative routes while repairs to the gorge road are carried out, motorists are also being reminded to be patient, drive to the conditions and watch their speeds when driving through the communities along the alternate route.