State Highway 2 between Wairoa and Gisborne remains closed until 7.30am

The road was closed last night, ahead of strong wind and heavy rainfall overnight. A number of trees came down overnight and crews are currently working to clear them.

The Gisborne side is clear and teams from both sides are working at the worst site at Mōrere, Wairoa.

We are aiming for a 7.30am opening time, however, more trees may come down yet.

Please check Journey Planner or Facebook

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Update: 5:40am

As heavy rain and strong winds continue to batter the East Coast, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is closely monitoring all local state highways.

A number of Metservice warnings remain in place for strong winds and heavy rainfall.

As at 5.40am Monday:

• SH35 Pōtaka to Taurangakoau Bridge, south of Te Araroa, remains CLOSED.
• SH35 Ōpōtiki to Pōtaka is OPEN.
• SH2 Waioweka Gorge remains CLOSED.
• SH2 between Wairoa and Gisborne remains CLOSED until safety assessments can be carried out.
• SH51 between Hastings and Clive is OPEN after a tree fell over the highway yesterday evening, blocking the road and pulling power lines over.
• Napier-Taihape Road is currently CLOSED due to the current weather conditions. For further updates, please refer to https://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/services/roads-and-streets/road-works(external link)

Please avoid travel where necessary. 

If you do need to travel today, please drive with extra care, to the conditions and make sure to check Journey Planner or Facebook before you go for the latest state highway conditions. 

Remember to switch on your headlights on, increase your following distance and be prepared for unexpected hazards in these conditions. 

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Update: 4pm, Sunday

State Highway 2 will be closing between Wairoa and Gisborne from 8pm overnight, ahead of more heavy rain and strong winds overnight.

At this stage, it will be closed till 7am tomorrow.

Parts of the road are already in a fragile state following heavy and persistent rain two weeks ago and prone to further flooding and slips.

We don’t take the decision to close roads lightly, especially as the road is currently the only detour in and out of Gisborne. However the safety of local communities and everyone using the road is paramount.

From 8pm, the closure points  at the southern end will be at Whakaki Lagoon and Nuhaka roundabout, with signage and turnaround opportunities from Te Uhi Pa Road in Wairoa. And in Gisborne, the closure point will be Kōpua Hill and Rangiwaho Marae with signage and turnaround opportunities from Tiniroto Road.

We know that sections of SH2 through this area are prone to surface flooding and vulnerable to fallen trees, debris and slips in weather conditions like these. 

Before the road can be opened in the morning, safety inspections will take place.

Emergency services will be assisted through the closures if necessary. 

A reminder that State Highway 35 remains closed between Pōtaka and just south of Te Ararora as does SH2 through Waioweka Gorge from Ōpōtiki. To ensure safety of motorists and crews, tomorrow’s convoys at 7am, 9am, 11am and 1pm through the gorge have been cancelled. 

An update will be provided tomorrow following an assessment of the road for any required response work and whether it will be safe to run the evening convoys (5pm Gisborne bound and 7pm Ōpōtiki bound).

Safety and geotechnical inspections on SH35 are underway today.

Please plan ahead or delay your journey if possible. 

Please drive with extra care and make sure to check Journey Planner or Facebook before you go for the latest state highway conditions. 

facebook.com/nztahbg(external link)

Remember to switch on your headlights on, increase your following distance and be prepared for unexpected hazards in these conditions. 

If you see any issues on the state highways, report them to 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49) 

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Update 11.45am

As heavy rain and strong winds continue to make their presence felt on the East Coast, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is closely monitoring all local state highways.

A number of Metservice warnings remain in place for both Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti including :

• Strong wind warning for Gisborne and further north. Effective from midnight tonight til 7am tomorrow
• Strong wind warning for Gisborne and further south to Hawke’s Bay and Taihape. Effective from 5pm today til 7am tomorrow
• Heavy rain warning for Gisborne and further south to Hawke’s Bay, in particular the Wairoa district. Effective from now until 5am tomorrow
• Heavy rain warning for Central Hawke’s Bay. Effective from midday today til 9am tomorrow

Please take care on the roads, delay your travel if possible but if you must travel, be alert to the possibility of surface flooding and adjust your speeds and following distances accordingly. 

Please also be aware of the possibility of short notice road closures, in particular on SH2 between Wairoa and Gisborne and SH5 Napier-Taupō Road, as we continue to monitor the warnings in place, the rainfall levels and any possible slips or damage. While we want to keep access open as much as possible, the safety of all drivers is our number one priority.

Current status of state highways in Tairāwhiti

• SH2 Waioweka Gorge remains closed.
• SH35 Pōtaka to Taurangakoau Bridge, south of Te Araroa, remains closed.
• SH35 Ōpōtiki to Pōtaka is open.

A stretch of SH2 through Wairoa town, between Queen Street and Black Street, is currently closed due to a large fire on Lucknow Street. A detour is in place and suitable for all vehicles.

SH2 south between Gisborne and Napier is an important detour, especially at the moment in and out of Tairāwhiti. Crews are on standby in both Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti, ready to respond to issues on SH2. 

If you do need to travel this weekend, please drive with extra care and make sure to check Journey Planner or Facebook before you go for the latest state highway conditions. 

Remember to switch on your headlights on, increase your following distance and be prepared for unexpected hazards in these conditions. 

If you see any issues on the state highways, report them to 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49).