Tapu-Coroglen Road reopening expected by end of year says Council

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins inspects road damage on the Tapu-Coroglen Road on March 9. Photo Jim Birchall

Thames Coromandel District Council has given an opening date for the Tapu-Coroglen Road which has been closed due to cyclone and associated flood damage since the end of January.

Last week, Transport Minister Michael Wood and Thames Coromandel (TCDC) Mayor Len Salt took a tour of slip areas that have plagued the Coromandel since last summer. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins visited Tapu-Coroglen Road, a vital trans-peninsula route, and other areas in March to assess the storm-ravaged region’s infrastructure first-hand, concluding; “We know we have a big job ahead of us.”

Hipkins added Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s priority for the Coromandel is to “restore transport connectivity” through “local government-led decisions”. He acknowledged the scale of the region’s roading and infrastructure issues.

A slip in January on the Tapu-Coroglen Road. Photo / Supplied

In a public release concerning the work required to reopen the road, TCDC said; ‘Our latest geotechnical investigations have revealed that a large slip is forming on the slope above the road at the same site. This means our anticipated quick temporary fix to reopen the road in June by cutting into the hill to widen the width of the road to one lane of traffic is no longer possible. Instead, we expect the road to be fully rebuilt and opened by the end of the year.

‘To support the new slip, a retaining wall to protect the road from the unstable slope above will need to be built at the same time as the retaining wall to support the road is built from the river below.

‘The tender for the works is intended to go out at the end of June, and a contractor should be appointed by mid-August. Weather and ground conditions permitting, we expect the road to be reopened by the end of the year.

‘We understand how important this route is for some people and we appreciate there’ll be disappointment with this latest news, but we have to prioritise the safety of road users and contractors working to reopen the road. Tapu-Coroglen Rd is a priority project for our Council.

‘The slip site is about 10km east of Tapu. Properties on either side of the slip area are accessible. Please don’t try to access the closed portion of the road surrounding the slip site. The site is dangerous and may move at any time. Anyone ignoring the road closure do so at their own risk.’