State Highway 35 between Pōtaka and Wharekahika/Hicks Bay has reopened at 7am today following an engineering assessment.

Last week’s heavy rainfall has created some cracking in the Waikura slip area, which originally closed following the January storm.

It is now open to light vehicles only.

Please drive carefully through this section of road.

The road will close every night at 6pm and reopen at 7am, pending a daily engineering assessment. Overnight closures will remain in place while crews carry out necessary work.

During the nightly closures between Pōtaka and Hicks Bay, Hicks Bay through to Gisborne, including the Punaruku slip site, will remain open.

Update: Sunday 7:20am

State Highway 35 between Pōtaka and Wharekahika/Hicks Bay has reopened at 7am today following an engineering assessment.

Last week’s heavy rainfall has created some cracking in the Waikura slip area, which originally closed following the January storm. It closed last night following advice from Geotech engineers.

It is now open to light vehicles only.

Please drive carefully through this section of road.

The road will close every night at 6pm and reopen at 7am, pending a daily engineering assessment. Overnight closures will remain in place while crews carry out necessary work.

Update: Saturday 4:35pm 

State Highway 35 between Pōtaka and Wharekahika/Hicks Bay will be closing at 6pm today following advice from Geotech engineers. 

Last week’s heavy rainfall has created some cracking in the Waikura slip area, which originally closed following the January storm.

The road will close to all vehicles at 6pm. 

We anticipate this stretch of road may reopen at 7am tomorrow. However that is contingent on additional assessments tomorrow morning.

If the road does reopen, it’s likely only to open to light vehicles.

Hicks Bay through to Gisborne, including the Punaruku slip site, remains open.