Truck narrowly avoids slip south of Wellington - witness

The road to Petone is congested. Photo / NZTA

A commuter heading home on State Highway 1 narrowly avoided a major slip, and saw another narrowly miss hitting a truck south of Wellington.

Roofer Alex Perkins was sent home from work in Plimmerton late morning.

But his usual 40-minute commute to Otaki took him four hours, after slips and flooding blocked much of SH1.

He was lucky to get through.

A slip just south of Whenua Tapu cemetery, between Porirua and Pukerua Bay, took out four lanes of SH1, leaving just enough space on the southbound berm for Perkins to get through.

Perkins said colleagues who left work just before him saw the large slip coming down.

"I drove over the berm and got through about 11.30am. It had almost covered the road.

"A few of my workmates who left just before me went through when it had just happened - it was still moving."

#SH1 UPDATE: Wellington to Kapiti Coast is open to ONE LANE NORTHBOUND. We advise to drive with extreme caution. https://t.co/MFLesLrMDR ^MN

— Waka Kotahi Wellington (@WakaKotahiWgtn) November 15, 2016

#SH1 UPDATE: Wellington to Kapiti Coast is open to ONE LANE NORTHBOUND. We advise to drive with extreme caution. https://t.co/MFLesLrMDR ^MN

— Waka Kotahi Wellington (@WakaKotahiWgtn) November 15, 2016

When he reached Pukerua Bay, he was stopped by more slips.

"I saw a slip come down the hill and almost take out a contractor's truck. It was chaos."

Perkins said his dog was happy to have him home, when he returned about 4.30pm.

UPDATE: Both lanes are now open NB & SB on #SH2 Ngauranga - Petone. There is congestion on this route and we do advise to delay travel. ^MN pic.twitter.com/dPZH9SUENN

— Waka Kotahi Wellington (@WakaKotahiWgtn) November 15, 2016

Meanwhile, SH1 is now open to one lane, northbound between Mackays Crossing and Steyne Avenue, Plimmerton.

SH2 is open, with significant congestion, while SH58 will remain closed overnight.

NZTA is working to open a southbound lane between Pukerua Bay and Plimmerton.

SH58 will remain closed overnight from SH1 at Paremata to Haywards Interchange at SH2, and Grays Rd and Paekakariki Hill Rd will remain closed overnight.