People who travel between the West Coast and Canterbury via SH73, Arthur’s Pass, will face up to 30-minute delays during the daytime next week, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

Rock scalers will be working the cliff faces around Whites Bridge, not far north-west of Arthur’s Pass village. Work will start at 9 am and run through to 4 pm Monday to Friday, 5-9 May, says Moira Whinham, Maintenance Contract Manager for NZTA on the West Coast.

If poor weather is forecast, work may need to be postponed and rescheduled.

NZTA thanks all road users for their patience while the crew is dropping loose boulders safely off the rock face, ahead of the construction of a rockfall safety fence over the coming weeks.

Images above: Whites Bridge area between Arthur’s Pass and Otira, before the climb up to the Viaduct on the Canterbury side.