A project to lift State Highway 35 at the flood-prone Rototahe section south of Tolaga Bay by about a metre has been finished. Photo / NZTA
A project to lift State Highway 35 at the flood-prone Rototahe section south of Tolaga Bay by about a metre has been finished. Photo / NZTA
Flood resilience work on a 230m section of State Highway 35 at Rototahe has been completed to deliver a safer and more reliable route.
That section of highway, just south of Tolaga Bay, was typically the first to flood and close during severe weather events.
“The recently completed works, deliveredby the Transport Rebuild East Coast (Trec) alliance, will help reduce road closures and keep the route open during severe weather and emergencies,” said Trec project manager Richard Bayley.
Six new culverts were installed and two existing culverts upgraded, increasing the site’s water-carrying capacity to around six times more than previously.
Rototahe, SH35, was prone to flooding during weather events.
Bayley said the upgrade had already proven its value.
“We were pleased to see that it performed well in the late January rain event, as the road had been lifted to its final height.
“This work is an example of the resilience being built into the network and will provide communities, freight and first responders with a more reliable route.”
Local firm Parata Contracting completed the drainage and earthworks, with the traffic management.
Trec project manager Richard Bayley said the newly lifted section of road had already proved its worth in heavy rain during January. Photo / NZTA
Trec also partnered with local iwi Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti throughout the project.
Kaitiaki lead Anne McGuire said the project reflected the importance of SH35 to local communities.
“SH35 is a lifeline for our communities, and this upgrade will make a real difference to those that travel this road to Gisborne regularly.
“We’re proud to have worked alongside Trec to deliver a solution that looks after our people and our environment.”
Work on the second flood resilience site funded through cost savings, the SH2 Hakanui Straight project (formerly Nesbitt’s Dip), was expected to be complete next month.
The highway there has been raised by about 3m, and culverts have been installed to help manage water and protect the road.
Remaining work on the project includes road surfacing and marking, safety barriers and signage.
“As of January, approximately 90% of the overall Tairāwhiti recovery programme has been completed,” Bayley said.
“Trec’s focus now lies in completing the remaining recovery projects and the three major projects at SH2 Hakanui Straight, SH35 Hikuwai Bridge and SH35 Maungahauini Gorge, all due for completion this year.”
