UPDATE: 12pm, 15 July 2026 – SH1 south of Kaikōura now open again
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi | 15 Jul 2026 12:11pm | West Coast, Canterbury, Otago, Southland
15 July 2026 – SH1 south of Kaikōura now open again
State Highway 1 south of Kaikōura has reopened following a closure which began last week after severe flooding.
Road users will need to travel with care and should expect to encounter some congestion and delays during this initial period that the section of SH1 between Cheviot and Kaikōura is open again.
As previously stated, restrictions will be required while the highway is still being restored, and to keep road users and roading crews safe. A section of more than 1km of the highway near Hawkswood, where the flooded Conway River has eaten away chunks of the road, will be limited to a single lane of traffic for the next few weeks. People should plan for delays up to 20 minutes, or up to 30 minutes at peak times, as traffic is held in each direction.
We appreciate the delays at this single lane section may be disruptive, and these will be reduced when it is safe and practical to do so. Even with these delays, the reopening of SH1 provides a very significant time saving compared to the alternative route via State Highways 7, 65, 6 and 63 that is still available. Inland Route 70/Inland Kaikōura Road to the west of Kaikōura remains closed.
The risk of further slips on the section of highway will be continually monitored, following a series of slips along this section of SH1 after last week’s heavy rain.
As traffic management and restrictions evolve, we will provide updates about what this means for road users.
3.30pm, 14 July 2026 – SH1 reopening on track
State Highway 1 south of Kaikōura remains on track for reopening at midday tomorrow.
The section of SH1 between Cheviot and Kaikōura is due to be open again to traffic from 12pm tomorrow, following a closure that went into force last week because of severe flooding and road damage. Inland Route 70/Inland Kaikōura Road to the west of Kaikōura remains closed. A detour route via State Highways 7, 65, 6 and 63 is still available.
Where floodwaters from the Conway River have eaten away chunks of the road near Hawkswood, a single lane only will be operating from tomorrow, with a reduced speed limit and ‘stop/go’ traffic management 24/7. This traffic management is likely to stay in place for several weeks while the full width of the highway is reinstated.
The risk of slips on the section of highway will be continually monitored.
Once SH1 is reopened, people are urged to travel with care and to respect the traffic management that is in place. This will help keep road users and those working on the highway safe. Extra care should also be taken on SH1 north of Kaikōura, which was also closed earlier because of the flooding impacts.
Confirmation of the opening will be provided tomorrow.
3.30pm, 13 July 2026 – Wednesday reopening planned for SH1
State Highway 1 south of Kaikōura is scheduled to reopen at midday on Wednesday (15 July) after being closed last week because of the effects of severe flooding.
Subject to any further slips or safety concerns identified by experts, the section of SH1 between Cheviot and Kaikōura will be open to all traffic types from 12pm Wednesday, with a single lane operating with a reduced speed limit and ‘stop/go’ traffic management 24-7 where the floodwaters have eaten away chunks of the road. This traffic management is likely to stay in place for several weeks while the full width of the highway is reinstated.
Inland Route 70/Inland Kaikōura Road to the west of Kaikōura remains closed. A detour route via State Highways 7, 65, 6 and 63 is still available.
Rocks and other debris that have slipped onto SH1 from surrounding hillside have been cleared, but ongoing advice is being provided by geotechnical engineers on any other land movement or risks that may require further action. When the highway is reopened, people are asked to travel with care and to respect the traffic management requirements that will be in place. This will help keep road users and those working on the highway safe.
A further update is expected tomorrow to confirm progress is on track for the midday Wednesday reopening. Any change to this will be notified.
1.30pm, 12 July 2026 – Landslip risk being addressed as SH1 reopening in sight
Work is underway today to remove loose rock and vegetation at the site of a previous slip, so that it will be safe to reopen State Highway 1 south of Kaikōura in the next few days.
State Highway 1 remains closed from Cheviot (in North Canterbury) to Kaikōura after severe flooding last week, while Inland Route 70/Inland Kaikōura Road to the west of Kaikōura is also still closed. A detour route via State Highways 7, 65, 6 and 63 remains available.
Removal of these remaining slip hazards is at the site where rocks and vegetation came down onto the closed section of highway on Friday. This will increase the safety and resilience for access once reopened. The loss of part of the road in the flooding has resulted in a narrower roading corridor being prepared for the initial access required. This removal of the hazardous rock and vegetation is in addition to the ongoing work placing rock where the road has been eaten away by floodwaters in the recent weather event, so that the road can be reinstated.
Tuesday (14 July) is still expected to be the earliest date that the highway could reopen. Initial restrictions, once reopened, are likely to include sections of the highway down to a single lane where road users will have to stop on demand.
An update on the status of the road tomorrow will likely confirm a date for reopening. New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi thanks people for their patience and understanding as roading crews work around the clock to get to a point where it is safe to reopen. Even after reopening, work will need to continue on this section of highway, including in the Conway River alongside the highway once the river level has dropped sufficiently.
Icy roading conditions persisting
As stated yesterday, icy roading conditions continue to create challenging driving conditions on some state highways around the South Island.
Area warnings remain in place for multiple state highways, and people are asked to travel with extra care, especially late at night and early mornings when the ice risk is greatest. There is an elevated risk of black ice, freezing fog, and hoar frosts in the Mackenzie Basin through to tomorrow morning.
12pm, 11 July 2026 – Progress being made towards SH1 reopening
Good progress is being made on repairing and clearing a closed section of State Highway 1 south of Kaikōura, with optimism that if the weather holds it should be able to reopen early next week as previously indicated.
State Highway 1 remains closed from Cheviot (in North Canterbury) to Kaikōura after severe flooding this week, while Inland Route 70/Inland Kaikōura Road to the west of Kaikōura is also still closed. A detour route via State Highways 7, 65, 6 and 63 remains available.
Rocks and vegetation that came down into the road in a slip yesterday have now been cleared, and roading crews have been able to keep their focus on placing rock where the highway has been eaten away by high river levels and flooding near Hawkswood/Ferniehurst (see images below), and clearing other debris and fallen trees on the highway in the Hundalee Hills area.
New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi expects to have a better understanding tomorrow of when reopening of this affected section of highway will be, with Tuesday still likely to be the earliest opportunity. People should be aware that when the reopening does happen, it may be done in a staged way, with some initial restrictions to ensure road users are kept safe. A further update will be provided tomorrow.
Icy conditions in many areas
Meanwhile, road users are being warned to expect ongoing severe frosts and icy conditions in inland areas of the South Island through to Monday.
The Mackenzie Basin, where crashes have been reported this morning, is forecast to have temperatures as low as -10degC, with hoar frosts, freezing fog and black ice likely to affect State Highways 8 and 80. People are asked to travel with extra care on these roads, and to consider avoiding travel at night and early morning when the ice risk is highest.
11.45am, 10 July 2026 – Slip adds to SH1 repair effort
A slip this morning (see image below) in the closed-off area of State Highway 1 south of Kaikōura is adding to the complexity of efforts to reopen the highway.
State Highway 1 remains closed from Cheviot (in North Canterbury) to Kaikōura after severe flooding this week, while Inland Route 70/Inland Kaikōura Road to the west of Kaikōura is also still closed. A detour route via State Highways 7, 65, 6 and 63 remains available.
The rock and vegetation slip this morning from the adjacent hillside is in a site where the high river levels and flooding have eaten away at chunks of the highway, requiring rock to be brought in to build up those affected sections of the road.
The slip area has been isolated this morning in anticipation of geotechnical engineers coming in to assess if there is risk of further slips at the site. The slip material will then be cleared of the road when it is safe to do so. New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and its contractor will continue working with local councils and civil defence officials around access for emergency vehicles and critical services.
Work is continuing to repair the road to a point where it is possible to reopen the highway. The expectation for now remains for a reopening early next week, likely Tuesday 14 July at the earliest.
A further update will be provided as more information is available.
4.45pm, 9 July 2026 – SH1 closure likely until early next week
The scale of the road damage from flooding on State Highway 1 south of Kaikōura means that it will likely be early next week until the highway can reopen.
State Highway 1 is closed from Cheviot (in North Canterbury) to Kaikōura, with Inland Route 70/Inland Kaikōura Road to the west of Kaikōura also still closed. People can travel as far north as Cheviot on SH1, but to travel to Kaikōura and further north, the longer detour route via State Highways 7, 65, 6 and 63 will be required. SH1 north of Kaikōura, to Ward (in Marlborough), reopened yesterday afternoon and remains open with some traffic management and reduced speed limits.
High river levels and flooding that followed heavy downpours earlier this week have eaten away sizeable chunks of SH1 (see images below), with significantly greater damage occurring since yesterday. Large quantities of rock have to be brought in to fill areas where parts of the highway have been lost. There has also been clearing up of rock and debris that has fallen on the highway, and geotechnical engineers have been able to get in today to assess the risk of further slips or movement in surrounding hillside after the heavy rain.
Contractors for New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) will be working through the long holiday weekend to get the highway open as soon as possible, with the safety of all road users and workers being the paramount consideration. Further updates will be provided through the long weekend as progress is made.
The following comment is from NZTA maintenance and operations regional manager Peter Brown:
“We appreciate that it being school holidays and a long holiday weekend, people will be travelling around the South Island to connect with family and friends, or experience some of the snow that’s fallen in the last few days.”
“We do ask that people travelling on the state highways plan ahead by checking for any closures or travel restrictions, such as the current closure south of Kaikoura on SH1, or any forecast weather that could bring fresh disruptions. As people will have seen, there has been a lot of weather impacts on the highway network recently, and there may be more in store for Otago and the Mackenzie Basin as melted snow and surface water turn to ice in the freezing conditions tonight and over the next few days.”
“People can avoid the most treacherous ice conditions on the roads by travelling in the middle of the day. If the weather closes in again and there is more snow or heavy rain, people need to drive to the conditions: adjusting their speeds and travelling distances, avoiding sudden braking, and staying visible (using headlights in daytime hours). People should also avoid driving through floodwaters where the depth is unclear and there may be hidden obstructions.”
“It’s also sensible to be prepared with warm clothing, food and water in case people become stranded, delayed or detoured because of road closures.”
12pm, 9 July 2026 – Work underway on repairing SH1 North Canterbury
Work is underway to repair and make safe State Highway 1 south of Kaikōura as a closure continues through today after severe flooding and road damage (see images below).
State Highway 1 is closed from Cheviot to Kaikōura, with Inland Route 70/Inland Kaikōura Road also remaining closed. People can travel as far north as Cheviot on SH1, but to travel to Kaikōura and further north, the longer inland route via State Highways 7, 65, 6 and 63 will be required. A ‘soft checkpoint’ at Waipara is advising people of the limits of travel via SH1.
SH1 between Kaikōura and Ward (in Marlborough) reopened yesterday afternoon and remains open with some traffic management and reduced speed limits.
The expectation shared yesterday was that repairs on SH1 south of Kaikōura would take a couple of days before the road could reopen, meaning this closure will continue into the long holiday weekend. An update on the likely reopening time is expected later today.
Those that are travelling for the long weekend/school holidays should factor into their planning this ongoing SH1 closure between Cheviot and Kaikōura, as well as the potential for any further closures due to flooding and slips following the heavy rain in recent days.
11am, 9 July 2026 – SH8 reopened in Mackenzie Basin
State Highway 8 between Fairlie and Twizel in the Mackenzie Basin is now open again to traffic after closures due to snow and ice, but travel is being coordinated by convoy because of the icy conditions.
People travelling this route are asked to travel with extreme care, with potential for all or part of this section of highway to close again if the conditions require it.
9.45am – Highway reopening for Otago
Following a prior closure due to snow and ice, State Highway 85 is now open from Kyeburn to Morrisons.
Road users are advised to extra care along this route, and the same applies for SH85 from Kyeburn to Omakau.
State Highway 87 from Kyeburn to Middlemarch remains closed.
7.30am – Highway closures remaining from weather event
While the effects of the current weather event have eased in many places, some significant state highway closures remain in the central and lower South Island this morning.
The closed highways are as follows:
- State Highway 1 from Waipara to Kaikōura, Canterbury, because of flooding and road damage (Inland Route 70/Inland Kaikōura Road also remains closed).
- State Highway 8 from Fairlie to Twizel, Mackenzie Basin, because of snow and ice.
- State Highway 87 from Kyeburn to Middlemarch, Otago, because of snow.
- State Highway 85 from Kyeburn to Morrisons, Otago, because of snow.
Roading crews will be working to reopen the snow-affected highways today, but the restoration of SH1 from Waipara to Kaikōura, following yesterday’s reopening of SH1 between Kaikōura and Ward (in Marlborough), is expected to take longer because of the flooding damage to the highway.
A detour is still available via State Highways 7, 65, 6 and 63, for those travelling between Christchurch and the top of the South Island.
Area warnings apply for other state highways in Otago because of snow and ice. State Highway 83 is open between Pukeuri and Kurow in North Otago after a flooding closure, but with a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place.
Further north, State Highway 7 between Springs Junction and Island Hills has a strong wind warning in effect, while a slip on SH7 between Reefton and Blacks Point means there is stop/go traffic management in place.
Road users are urged to take extra care travelling in inland areas especially, and to plan ahead for their travel at our Journey Planner site.
Further updates will be issued today as the status of the highways changes.