MEDIA RELEASE

9 March 2017 | SOUTHERN REGION

Update on State Highway 1 south of Kaikoura – highway remains closed

Work at slip 1 earlier today:

State Highway 1 has remained closed all day after being closed earlier this week after rain and subsequent rockfall near the slips between Peketa and Goose Bay, south of Kaikoura.

Crews worked until 9 pm last night clearing the road however the 50 tonne boulder at site 1, loosened by the recent rain and slip, moved another two metres overnight.

Crews are using a number of different methods and techniques to clear this slip and shift the boulder. This work is continuing.

Drivers wanting to head to or from Kaikoura should use the Inland Road (Route 70 – see map below) via Waiau and bear in mind this journey between Waiau and Kaikoura is a slow one, 30 km/hour in many places, with several work sites along the way.

People can check this map for updates. The next update to the Transport Agency’s highways map will be after 6 pm tonight and again at 6 am Fridaymorning, when the highway would normally be open for daytime traffic. If the boulder cannot be shifted today, the road may stay closed tomorrow as well.

Ways to find out what is happening on the highway network:

• NZ Transport Agency's travel and traffic page here.

• Transport Agency Canterbury West Coast Twitter updates

• Transport Agency Facebook South Island

• Call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS 0800 44 44 49

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