Main highway to Wellington now open after slip blocked traffic in both directions

The slip has closed SH59 in both directions at Pukerua Bay. Photo / Supplied

The main highway between Wellington at Kāpiti has now reopened, after multiple slips blocked traffic in both directions this afternoon.

Motorists were asked to expected significant delays after a slip came down at Pukerua Bay on State Highway 59 - formally State Highway 1 - at around 1.25pm.

Heavy congestion remained throughout the afternoon, with stop go traffic management put in place at around 4.30.

Waka Kotahi issued an update just before 6pm to say the road was now open in both directions.

UPDATE 5:55PM
SH59 (Old SH1) Pukerua Bay is now OPEN in both directions. Please continue to expect SIGNIFICANT DELAYS as congestion eases. The northbound queue is now back to Plimmerton and the southbound queue is sitting near Raumati South. Thank you for your patience. ^LZ pic.twitter.com/ciYZcxolAx

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Wellington (@WakaKotahiWgtn) December 16, 2021

Nearby resident Benedict Knill had wandered down for a look, and said he could see two slips.

"They were just clearing the first, had just finished and this one came down," he said.

"The hill could be unstable. The guy reckons [it will be cleared] after midnight."

Waka Kotahi has advised motorists to avoid the area and delay their journey if possible.

A slip has blocked the main road into Wellington. Photo / Supplied

A spokesperson said heavy rain in recent days has made the hills along SH59 unstable, causing slips and debris falling onto the highway in multiple locations.

Contractors are on site cleaning the area, but they said there could be more incidents of debris and slips due to the persistent wet weather and instability of the landscape.

They suspected it would be a number of hours before the road was opened.

Police also advised there is water covering Grays Rd in Porirua, and Paekakariki Hill Rd is also closed due to fallen trees.

SH59 PUKERUA BAY, SOUTHBOUND - SLIP - 1:25PM
Due to a slip, the road is now CLOSED in both directions at Pukerua Bay. Contractors are on-site. Please AVOID this area & DELAY your journey. Please be mindful that Paekakariki Hill Rd is also CLOSED due to fallen trees. ^LZ pic.twitter.com/O9mHyyWgpo

— Waka Kotahi NZTA Wellington (@WakaKotahiWgtn) December 16, 2021

Having watched the estimated travel time on Google maps shoot up from 1 hr 21 to 1 hr 47 before I was even half way up Kāpiti Rd, I think I’m going to have to pass on this afternoon’s planned shoe shopping trip. Might try again tomorrow, though I’ll have kids in tow… 😬 https://t.co/x7y0fmDAgr pic.twitter.com/AuDjDzxpEI

— Gwynn Compton (@gwynncompton) December 15, 2021