Projects on Parapara Rd between Whanganui and Raetihi get Government funding boost

The Auraki Stream road retreat project on the Parapara was completed at the end of last year.

Five projects on State Highway 4 Parapara Road between Whanganui and Raetihi are set to get funding from the Government’s $226 million Crown Resilience Programme.

They are in the low-risk, low-cost category - for small projects usually under $2 million - and include rockfall near the YMCA’s Camp Ruakawa and a slip opposite Raupiu Rd.

The programme targets state highways and local roads vulnerable to weather events.

Whanganui MP Carl Bates (National) said the highway was a vital link for Waimarino residents to health and other services in Whanganui, and for producers and manufacturers sending products north.

“Continual improvements are critical to ensure the resilience of this transport infrastructure to our regional and rural economy,” he said.

The Te Oreore slip replacement - about 18km south of Raetihi - is due to begin later this year and will take 18 months.

Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton said managing the road was “a huge undertaking” and any funding towards it was good news.

“Some roads are vulnerable and, regardless of what you do, they just keep on moving,” he said.

“All you can do is repair it to a reasonable standard and hope like hell it lasts.

“On the Parapara, I’d say the warranty is five years at best.”

Kirton said Ruapehu District Council would keep a watchful eye on the road.

“We have health shuttles going down there and a whole lot of connections.”

New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi finished the Auraki Stream road retreat project at the end of last year.

It involved relocating SH4 away from the Mangawhero River due to a large underslip and was the final and largest repair site on the road following major flooding in June 2015.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown said the Government had to maintain assets “to the standard Kiwis need and expect”, particularly in remote areas where alternative routes were not available.

“In recent years, we have seen the terrible consequences that severe weather events can have on important transport networks across the country,” he said.

“Rather than just reacting to severe weather events, we are building resilience now to ensure that our infrastructure is strong in the face of future challenges.”

Kirton said SH1 was also vulnerable, particularly south of Waiouru, and had to be maintained.

“They rely on SH4 as an alternative route, so if each of those go out, possibly in the same event, we’ve essentially cut off the central North Island.”

No dates have been announced for the Parapara Rd projects but the Crown Resilience Programme runs from 2024 to 2027.

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.