Large Scale Damage to Ruapehu Roads - Initial Pipiriki Access Will Be for Emergencies & Supplies Only

When Ruapehu District Council (RDC) contractors reopen the Pipiriki-Raetihi Rd in an estimated three to seven days it will initially be for four wheel drive emergency and supply vehicles only.

RDC land transport and economic development manager Warren Furner said that health and safety concerns would mean that the Pipiriki-Raetihi Rd is not expected to be open to unrestricted public vehicles for at least two weeks.

“Council currently has three 20 tonne diggers working on reopening the road,” he said.

“The work is very slow going as the digger drivers need to be very wary of what may still come down as they clear away slip material.”

“Although Ruapehu got off lightly compared to our southern neighbours there is still a lot of road and other infrastructure work to do around the district.”

“Council’s road engineering contractor GHD is working with council staff to identify and map every slip and other road damage across the district.”

“The goal is to produce a detailed overview of all road infrastructure damage across Ruapehu.”

Mr Furner noted that due to the scale of this event it will be some time before all slips and other road damage is attended to.

“NZTA has advised that the state highways are their immediate priority and local roads will come later.”

“Most all roads are open around Ruapehu however motorists should anticipate that in many places they will be down to one lane,” he said.

“Drivers on local roads need to take extreme care and drive to the conditions.”

Mr Furner added that initial estimates are that fixing Ruapehu roads from this event will cost around $4 million.

“Ironically up until this storm event council’s spending on emergency works for the last financial year had been much lower than in the previous few years.”

“In recent years council has been in discussions with Ruapehu rural communities about the level of service and financial sustainability of some roads around the district.”

“The scale of the damage to some low traffic volume back country roads from this storm event will put this issue back on the table,” he said.

ENDS

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