Fears Northland communities will become completely cut off due to frequent road closures have been raised as more severe weather is set to hammer the region.
Motorists are being urged to heed travel advice and stay updated about possible road closures ahead of Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle forecast to hit Northland on Sunday.
With SH1 south of the Brynderwyns barely open after being closed for two weeks due to the last bout of bad weather, calls are growing to future-proof the vital transport link.
National Road Carriers Association chief executive Justin Tighe-Umbers said more slips were his biggest concern, especially “when you’ve already got saturated terrain like we do at the moment”.
“The number one concern will be more slips that close the Brynderwyns and state highway network.
“The central route is not up to standard and the detour roads may be blocked off as well. We’ve really exposed the single points of failure now.
“If those detour routes do go, you’re in a situation where communities are getting cut off.”
Tighe-Umbers called on Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to prioritise fixing Northland’s roads, focusing on maintenance and investment.
“Every day, potholes and undrivable surfaces cause expensive damage and delays to our nation’s trucking fleet.
“Our road conditions are a disgrace for a wealthy, developed country like New Zealand.
“Our road network is getting worse each year as maintenance continues to fall behind. Despite all the money collected for roading, less than half of the maintenance needed is being carried out each year.”
The repeated closures of the Brynderwyns cause a multitude of problems, the latest including lengthy delays and damage to local roads used as detour routes.
Detours for heavy vehicles along SH12 and SH14 via Dargaville added on hours for trucks, hiking fuel and wage costs for companies and prompting many to use the option designated for light vehicles through Mangawhai and Waipū.
The Brynderwyns opened in both directions on Friday, however, heavy rain and strong winds forecast from 1am Sunday to noon Tuesday could bring further slips and road closures.
A Waka Kotahi spokesperson said the transport agency is monitoring the approach of the cyclone “very closely”.
“We are receiving regular updates directly from MetService,” the spokesperson said.
“We will be providing travel advice and warnings for motorists ahead of the predicted cyclone.”
Waka Kotahi maintenance and operations regional manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult also acknowledged the stretch of road over the Brynderwyns “is susceptible to adverse weather conditions”.
When asked what the transport agency is doing to future-proof it, she said:
“As we move from the response phase to the recovery phase, we will consider ways to ensure this critical route can be more resilient.”
Northland Mayoral Forum chair Vince Cocurullo and Northland Chamber of Commerce president Tim Robinson want a four-lane highway from Whangārei to Auckland fast-tracked, while others say the southern side of the Brynderwyn hills need to be brought up to scratch as per the northern side.
Tighe-Umbers said “we should look again” at NZTA proposals from 2017 to bypass the Brynderwyns for better resilience and road safety.
At the time the transport agency sought feedback on two options; one from the intersection of SH1/SH12 to the west of the Hills to Finlayson Brook Rd, and the other from Mountain Rd, north of Kaiwaka, west to Finlayson Brook Rd.
Waipū Business and Community Society chair Peter Gibbs said the recent two-week diversion saw up to 15,000 extra vehicles a day drive through the small town.
The extra traffic was causing the main street to become “unsafe”, he said.
Frequent trucks that used the detour caused some motorists to suffer cracks to their windscreens, Gibbs said.
“It’s a difficult situation, they’re [Waka Kotahi] doing their best on the Brynderwyns, but not long ago it was closed by another slip.”
Waka Kotahi urged motorists to check Waka Kotahi Journey Planner for updates on closures or disruptions to the state highway network.
“This is updated 24/7 by our traffic operations centres, and is the best source of the most recent and reliable information available”.