State Highway 35 at the Punaruku slip site will open from midday today (Tuesday), following engineering assessments yesterday and again this morning.

The road will be open 24/7 to all vehicles including heavy vehicles. 

This section of road is single lane and is under stop/go traffic management. Roadworkers will be returning to complete drainage works at the slip site.

While the road is open, the Punaruku slip site remains fragile and under constant monitoring. 

The stretch of SH35 between Te Araroa and Pōtaka is still unstable, and the road may need to close at short notice if weather conditions change or if movement is detected.

This means SH35 will be open between Ōpōtiki and Gisborne.

Ongoing slip monitoring

We continue to closely monitor the Punaruku slip area using a range of methods. We have a safety plan in place for this site. The plan takes into consideration factors such as rainfall and wind, ground conditions and information from monitoring equipment at the site. 

If these safety limits are reached, the plan requires us to take action – including closing the road if needed – even if there is no obvious change visible at the time. 

This helps prevent sudden or dangerous slip movement and allows the road to reopen as soon as it is safe.