Nanayakkara said a draft business case had looked at different options, such as what was feasible and fundable, as well as a management plan.
It was confirmed by the assessment that the gorge was unsafe for vehicles and increasingly unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists.
The inability of crews to get in to remedy problem areas meant they were unable to be maintained.
“Effectively we can’t get tractors in there, and it’s cost prohibitive to do so,” Nanayakkara said.
Under the management plan, NZTA aimed to stop the road, which was effectively a legal process in terms of moving to a legal definition of what the road is and how it functions.
That was a process that would be undertaken with iwi, council partners and the wider community over the next few months.
Nanayakkara said the two sections to be revoked would become local roads under the Land Transport Management Act - one was on the Ashhurst side and the other was on the Woodville side.
“Ultimately we would be seeking to transfer ownership control and funding responsibility of the road to a future [road controlling authority].”
However, some work still needed to be done to ensure the revoked road’s transport function was fit for purpose at the time of handover and NZTA would be working with councils through that.
Councillor Peter Johns asked if NZTA would be restoring the road to its previous condition prior to revocation.
Nanayakkara said the agency would work with the council to determine when the asset could be handed back over.
“The purpose of that road was to carry a high number of regional freight movements. That is obviously not the case - we wouldn’t see it carrying anywhere near that level of demand because of the new highway.
“We would work with council to determine what is an appropriate standard for that asset that can be sustainably maintained by the council.”
Johns pointed out the old road was frequently used for walking and cycling and many would want to see it available for use for leisure activity.
He was told it was ultimately determined through the geotech assessment and evaluating the risks, that the financial commitment required to get it to even just a safe corridor was “somewhat cost prohibitive”.
Once the road was stopped, the decision would sit with Land Information New Zealand on what the options would be.
Howe said there had been “quite a bit” of feedback from recreational groups around the idea that recreational activity through the gorge was no more dangerous than tramping up a mountain, and that was something that would be considered through the process.
“Linz will be doing consultation with all interested parties including councils, DoC [Department of Conservation] and other central government agencies with a vested interest in that area so all of these conversations will be able to come out and perspectives will be discussed.”
There was an acceptable level of risk for cyclists and pedestrians, but not for those who were stationary, or intended to stop in one place for a lengthy period of time.
Leanne Warr has been editor of the Bush Telegraph since May 2023 and a journalist since 1996. She re-joined NZME in June 2021.
