Joint effort gets SH1 reopened at Brynderwyns

HIGH FIVE: Downer zero harm adviser Des Ryan gives Anthony Scott a congratulatory high five as the last touches are finished on the repair work on a slip on the Brynderwyn Hills. PHOTO/MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM

Road workers went to great lengths to get State Highway 1 open and even mopped water off the surface with towels so lines could be painted.

The major transport artery was severed last Sunday, because of an underslip on the southern side of the Brynderwyns after heavy rain.

The underslip, about 20m long in the northbound lane, had fallen away leaving an 8m drop to the ground below.

Repair work began immediately and at 10.15am yesterday the road was opened to all traffic.

Sealing work began about 8pm on Thursday and was completed by 3am yesterday.

However, rain meant a delay in painting the road markings.

Downer zero harm adviser Des Ryan, who has been at the site since the work began, said paint would not stick to a wet surface and a staff member had gone to great lengths to ensure the markings were completed. A worker on a paint machine pulled out a towel and some old rags and dried the road where he was spraying on the centre line markings.

"We put it all together, it's worked and it's now operational. You wouldn't know there had been a slip there," Mr Ryan said.

Temporary 50km/h speed restrictions are in place through the section of road for the next week to ensure the safety of motorists and contractors.

Transport Agency Regional Journey Manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult said NZTA staff and contractors had worked tirelessly in a challenging environment to re-establish the vital SH1 link.

Ms Hori-Hoult said in addition to workers from Opus and Downers, the job involved 20 different local subcontractors as well as technical advisers and traffic control crews from Tauranga, Hamilton and Wellington.

"This has been a huge team effort to keep Northland moving and we are thankful to the people of Northland for their patience and understanding as we've worked to repair the damage caused by this wild weather."

Elsewhere in the region, traffic is flowing well on the temporary SH1 diversion around the Maromaku slip near Kawakawa through SH1, and SH12 at Kaihu is open to a single lane.