Bitumen on Desert Rd detour sticking to vehicle tyres

Crews are working to remedy a bitumen spill on the Desert Rd detour between Tūrangi and National Park with reports of the black, sticky substance sticking to vehicle tyres.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is advising motorists travelling between Tūrangi and National Park on SH4 to drive to the conditions following a bitumen spill.

Courier driver Kane Ross said he was driving the road at about 3.30am on Wednesday near the Turangi turnoff and noticed “strange slapping sounds” from his truck.

“I stopped and my bro was like, ‘Look at your tyres’.

“There was thick tarseal wrapped around every single wheel of the truck and trailer.”

Ross said he removed the substance three times in Waiōuru, Ohakune, and Taihape and the debris kept re-coating the wheels of the truck.

“From basically the Turangi turn off all the way back to Palmerston North, there was just debris all over the road,” he said.

“Stuff was just flying everywhere,” he said.

The tyres were coated with the substance.

NZTA received several reports on Wednesday of bitumen sticking to vehicle tyres on SH47.

Crews are currently on site applying loose grit to the road to cover the spillage while NZTA investigates the cause.

Traffic management is in place, in addition to a temporary lower speed.

NZTA national journey manager Helen Harris said SH47 remained open and it was vital people adhered to the traffic management in place.

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Ross said he had never seen anything like it in his driving career.

Motorists can expect some delays while the traffic moves through the site.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.