Next Friday (24 April) State Highway 60 Tākaka Hill will be closed for two hours between 2 am and 4 am to when a 100-tonne crane will return to the Goodall’s Straight site to remove the drilling machinery that’s been used by contractors since 17 March. 

This closure has been scheduled for the early hours of the morning when traffic volumes are at their lowest. 

Access either side of the work site will be available for residents, but traffic will not be able to travel through the work site while the closure is in place. Drivers should time their travel to avoid these works. 

Although the drilling machinery is being removed, erosion matting and planting is yet to be completed at the Goodall’s Straight site. This will be carried out later when the weather conditions are favourable. 

Although the drilling machinery is being removed, erosion matting and planting is yet to be completed at the Goodall’s Straight site. This will be carried out later in when the weather conditions are favourable. 

Contractors are also continuing work to repair an overslip that occurred during the heavy rain event at the end of March. 

Stop/go traffic management remains in place at Cooks Corner (Site A) from 7 am to 5 pm, Mondays to Fridays with delays of up to 10 minutes expected. 

A 30km/h temporary speed limit is in place at all times until work is completed by the end of April. 

Work Schedule: 

• Friday, 24 April. 2 am – 4 am 
• SH60 Tākaka Hill closed at Goodall’s Straight slip site 

10 March

Work to reduce the risk of future slips on State Highway 60 over Tākaka Hill will see two short night-time road closures at Goodall’s Straight in the coming weeks.

From 2 am to 4 am on Tuesday, 17 March, there will be a two-hour road closure to allow a 100-tonne crane to lift drilling machinery into position above the road. About three weeks later, there will be another night-time two-hour road closure when the rig is removed from the site. 

The closures are scheduled for the early hours of the morning when traffic volumes are at their lowest.

Over the weeks the drilling machinery is onsite at the Goodall’s Straight site, crews will install a series of inclined drains up to 70 metres long to remove ground water. When ground water builds up too much, slip planes deep within the hill activate, compromising the stability of the highway, causing slumps and triggering slips.

While the drains are being installed, both lanes will remain open. Please allow extra time and take care when passing through the site.

Goodall’s Straight is about 5.6 km uphill from the intersection of SH60 and Riwaka-Kaiteriteri Road. Last winter, when storms damaged multiple sites on Tākaka Hill, the road suffered both an underslip and an overslip at this very narrow section of highway.

Similar incline drains were installed during last year’s recovery works. Monitoring has shown they significantly reduce ground water build up, including during heavy rainfall events when slip risks increase.

Works schedule:

• Tuesday, 17 March, 2 am to 4 am
• Two-hour road closure at Goodall’s Straight for crane operation, about 5.6 km uphill from the intersection of SH60 and Riwaka-Kaiteriteri Rd.
• A second closure will occur about three weeks later (date TBC)
• Machinery will be working below the road for several weeks between the two night-time closures. Please allow extra time and take care when passing through the site.