Two weeks of road closures on SH2 and 35

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

The Gisborne-EastCape region is once again down to reduced highway access in and out of the district, with major recovery work needing two weeks of closures.

The closures started on Monday and will last two weeks, all going well with the weather.

The most important closure is that of State Highway 2 from Opotiki to Gisborne, through the Waioeka Gorge.

Due to emergency tree removal, the section of highway through Otoko to Te Karaka was closed between 8.30am and 4.30pm yesterday and on Monday, and  next week on  Monday July 24, and Tuesday July 25

There is no detour available and a convoy will escort traffic through the site in each direction, northbound traffic at midday and southbound traffic half an hour later at 12.30pm.

The other highway closure is SH35, on the coast road north of Gisborne, where the Cyclone Gabrielle-wrecked Hikuwai bridge is being removed at Mangatuna.

This section of road will be fully closed in both directions for 24 hours each day through to 5amThursday July 27 at 5am.

A detour is available to traffic going up the coast via the Pourau Road Bypass.

State Highway 2 to Wairoa and Hawke’s Bay is open but Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says there is still a lot of road damage to repair following Cyclone Gabrielle, and there are with various speed restrictions and traffic management measures in place.

Waka Kotahi advises travellers to take care and allow extra time for their journey.

As of Monday morning, Gisborne District Council had 58 local roads with some form of restriction, while 28 of those roads are still closed as a result of this year’s weather damage.