Repair work starts on two slips on SH12 in Northland

One of the historic slips on side of SH12 at Oparakau, near Matakohe, where repair work has started.

Motorists through the small Northland community of Oparakau - on State Highway 12 near Matakohe, will shortly notice a bigger roadside presence as teams work to repair two historic slips.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has awarded United Civil Construction with the contract to carry out the works on the two historic slips.

"We appreciate the patience of road users while we sought to find best team for the job," Waka Kotahi/NZTA Northland System Manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult said.

"The damage to SH12 occurred last year, when an embankment deteriorated, causing a four to five metre slip to form on either side of the highway. This resulted in the loss of the road shoulder support."

In order to repair the slips, the hillside will be filled and rebuilt and a modular block retaining wall installed along the embankment to protect the roadside. Work to excavate the slip material has already started.

"With the help of traffic management, both lanes of the road will continue to remain open throughout the duration of the works, which are expected to take up to eight weeks," Hori-Hoult said.

One of the historic slips on side of SH12 at Oparakau that will be repaired soon.

Waka Kotahi asks road users to please follow temporary speed limits and the advice of crews on site, as the road layout may vary throughout the works.