Westland mayor: Fox Glacier road will reopen

State Highway 6 between Fox Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier was washed away after bad weather. Photo / Wayne Costello, DoC

The mayor of Westland is confident the access road to Fox Glacier will reopen, despite officials deciding to close it indefinitely.

An engineering report commissioned by the Department of Conservation and the NZ Transport Agency estimated it would cost $16 million to fix.

It warned the road would likely be "overwhelmed" within years by ongoing sediment build-up in the valley, and there was no practical solution to stop the massive landslide.

But Westland mayor Bruce Smith said the closure was a temporary and practical decision, and a solution will be found.

"At this stage nature has won this one, but it's not permanent. When the conditions come right or an alternative is found, the road will be reopened.

"It is a negative that you can't drive up to the Glacier, but you couldn't dive up to it [before the storm], you could only drive three quarters of the way."

The Government is investing almost $4 million from visitor levies on a range of initiatives, aimed at improving walking and cycling access to the valley.

A day walk to Lake Gault will be developed with help from Ngāi Tahu and Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio, offering more walking options at Lake Matheson.

The trail from Fox Glacier township to Lake Matheson will also be extended and it will be easier to access Peak Viewpoint for views of the Southern Alps.

Glacier Country Tourism chairman Ashley Cassin said the road closure was bad news, but the Government's funding announcement was extremely positive.

"It gives a whole lot more spec for dealing with the issue. You've got to celebrate the successes when they come and this is certainly one of those."

He said the vulnerability of the area is a fact of life operators have learned to accept.

"Everyone chooses to live here. We know the issues. We know seismic activity has created the lovely Alps and the issues that causes."

Tourism minister Kelvin Davis said early investment meant much of the work could begin immediately.

"Tourism is important to the West Coast and we're committed to ensuring that tourism continues to benefit communities, visitors and the environment long into the future."