SH2 Waioweka Gorge has reopened (at 8:30am this morning) following an inspection of the road at first light today.

Weather will continue to be a challenge while we work through the next phase of the recovery works. The Trigger Action Response Plan (TARP) remains in place and will continue to help us make decisions to keep road users and our crews safe. 

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi would like to thank road users for their understanding.

Upcoming night closures

Night closures will begin this weekend as critical work starts to stabilise the Goldsmith Slip. 

Night closures and daytime stop/go traffic management are needed, so a large crane can carry out drilling and installation work for a rockfall attenuator. 

On Saturday 6 June, the Waioweka Gorge will be closed for one night, from 9pm to 5am, so crews can begin initial drilling and investigation work. A one-hour window from 1am to 2am will allow freight through.

From Sunday 21 June, there will be further closures for 10 nights, from 9pm to 5am, as installation continues. Work will take place Sunday to Thursday, with no work on Friday or Saturday nights. A one-hour window from 1am to 2am will again allow freight through.  

From early July, installation of the steel net will begin. This work will be carried out during the day under the current stop/go traffic management in place at the Goldsmith Slip. 

Other recovery work will continue throughout the Gorge under stop/go traffic management. 

A rockfall attenuator is a large steel net which is designed to contain falling rock and debris before it reaches the road.  When material falls, the net slows it down and guides it to the bottom of the slope, where it is safely contained behind a fence and concrete barrier.  

A rockfall attenuator is a common treatment for slips like the one at Goldsmith and provides a near-permanent solution at the site. Once it’s installed, two-way traffic will be able to resume at the slip site, and the Gorge should require fewer proactive closures than it has since January. This will improve safety and reduce disruption for all road users. 

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2 June update - 4.30pm:

As confirmed earlier, SH2 Waioweka Gorge remains closed for the rest of today, Tuesday 2 June.  The Orange Heavy Rain Warning remains in place until 6pm tonight.

Please note there are no guided convoys through the Gorge.

Our crews and geotechnical experts will be on site at first light tomorrow morning to fully inspect and clear the road. There are 2 sites in particular that we'll be paying attention to - Goldsmith Slip and the Rockfall Rockfill site where rocks and debris have fallen on the road.

We will provide an update around 8:30am tomorrow morning and hope to confirm when the Gorge will reopen.

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2 June update - 12.53pm: 

SH2 Waioweka Gorge will remain closed for the rest of today, Tuesday 2 June, following the extension of the Orange Heavy Rain Warning through to 6pm.

Once the weather warning has been lifted, NZTA will fully inspect and clear the road. This can only be safely done during daylight hours. This inspection will be done at first light tomorrow morning, Wednesday 3 June, and we will notify the public when the Gorge can be opened. No convoys are being escorted through the Gorge during this closure. 

Closing the Gorge isn't a decision that we make lightly, as we know how important this lifeline is. We use a safety plan called a 'Trigger Action Response Plan' (TARP) to help us take early action when weather conditions become riskier than normal on state highways.

It is based on factors such as rainfall and wind, ground conditions, and monitoring equipment data.  This will happen under an orange or red weather warning issued by MetService and the road will be proactively closed until conditions are considered safe.

The current Orange Heavy Rain Warning forecasts 60 to 100 mm of rain on top of what has already fallen. Peak rates of 10 to 20 mm/h expected, but 25 to 40 mm/h in possible localised downpours.

Since we proactively closed the Gorge yesterday, more rocks and debris have fallen on the road, heightening dangerous conditions. Closing the road is the best way to keep all road users safe.

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Tuesday 2 June - 7.50am - SH2 Waioweka Gorge remains closed this morning until further notice as heavy rain hits the gorge:

Some rockfall has occurred overnight and the Orange Heavy Rain Warning is in place until 3pm today. 

NZTA will fully inspect and clear the road as soon as it's safe to do so and will notify the public when it's able to be opened.

This updates the bulletin below.

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Monday 1 June - 6pm - SH2 Waioweka Gorge closing as a precaution:

With an Orange Heavy Rain Warning in place for this evening, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has made the decision to proactively close State Highway 2 (SH2) Waioweka Gorge from 6pm tonight, Monday 1 June, until further notice. The route is especially vulnerable in poor weather.

Closure points for the Waioweka Gorge at 6pm tonight:

• The Ōpōtiki closure point will be Waioeka Pa Road.
• The second closure (Gisborne side) will be at Opato.

These locations also have plenty of turn around space.

Emergency services and residential lifelines will be navigated through the event when safe and appropriate.

The road will be reassessed as soon as possible in the morning, depending on the conditions and whether clearance work is needed before considering reopening.

Check Journey Planner or Facebook before you travel:

• Journey Planner - Highway conditions(external link)
• Facebook - Waikato and Bay of Plenty(external link)

Report any issues on the state highways to 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49) or call 111 if urgent.