3 March 2026

Crews working to make State Highway 6 Rocks Road more resilient and less slip-prone will carry out additional night works next week. The highway’s southbound lane will be closed for up to five nights, from Sunday to Thursday (8 - 12 March), between 7 pm and 5 am.

Contractors will use a crane to lift mesh into position, install anchor bars ready for the next phase, clean out debris from behind the barrier, and complete other works that require safety protection to be in place.

The site will be under stop/go traffic management and a 30-kilometre temporary speed limit during work hours. Because there is a risk of material falling onto the road, the southbound lane must be closed to ensure drivers and the public are kept safe. The footpath on the seaward side of the highway will remain open.

While the work is scheduled at night when traffic volumes are lower, people travelling between Nelson and Tahunanui can expect short delays and should plan their travel accordingly.

This work is weather-dependent, and schedules may change at short notice. Drivers are encouraged to check road conditions before they travel.

Works schedule:

• Sunday to Thursday nights, 7 pm – 5 am
• Southbound lane closure, stop/go traffic management, and 30 km/h temporary speed limit.
• Expect short delays.

17 February 2026

With good weather forecast, the project team working on slip protection works will be extending planned nightworks this week.

Crews will now work an extra two nights this week – Wednesday and Thursday – this will require an extension of the nighttime stop/go traffic management that has been in place since Sunday night.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi appreciates the extra work will create delays for traffic. However, SH6 Rocks Road is a key transport link, and the work is critical for improving its resilience.

Works schedule:

• Sunday to Thursday nights. 7 pm – 7 am
• Southbound lane closure, Stop/Go traffic management, and 30 km/h temporary speed limit
• Expect short delays

9 February 2026

Nelson drivers are urged to be ready for stop/go traffic management and a lane closure on State Highway 6 Rocks Road next week.

Three nights of closures for the highway’s southbound lane are planned for Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights (15 - 17 February), between 7 pm and 7 am.

The highway will be under stop/go traffic management and a 30-kilometre temporary speed limit during work hours.

Contractors will be continuing ongoing resilience and slip-protection work on the cliff face above the highway. They will clear vegetation and move protective barriers at the work site.

Because there is a risk of material falling onto the road, the southbound lane must be closed to ensure drivers and the public are kept safe. The footpath on the seaward side of the highway will remain open.

While the work is timed to be done at night when traffic volumes are lower, people travelling between Nelson and Tahunanui can expect short delays and should plan their travel accordingly.

While most of the work on Rocks Road is being carried out during the day with little or no impact on road users, some night-time lane closures will be required in future as contractors prepare new sections of the cliff face or lift mesh into position.

Works schedule:

• Sunday to Tuesday nights. 7 pm – 7 am
• Southbound lane closure, Stop/Go traffic management, and 30 km/h temporary speed limit
• Expect short delays

16 January 2026

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is continuing work to improve cliff stability along State Highway 6 Rocks Road from next week.

Protective mesh needed for the next stage of work has now arrived in the country. This is scheduled to be installed before Nelson Anniversary Weekend and Waitangi Day to help keep the route safe and reduce disruptions.

Work will take place on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 January, between 9am and 4pm, as crews place the mesh along the crest of the cliff. Traffic on Rocks Road will be unaffected.

From the evening of Sunday 25 January, there will be stop/go traffic management and temporary speed restrictions in place during night hours, as the crews unroll the mesh and secure it to the cliff face. Drivers should expect delays of up to 10 minutes during night hours and this is expected to continue through to early Thursday 29 January. During the day, both lanes of the road will be open. 

While traffic management is in place, crews will also take the opportunity to clear material behind barriers, extend fencing, and carry out general tidy-up work.

We thank people for their patience while we complete this important safety work.