Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says that access to Invercargill via SH1 and Gore is now available as flood waters have receded in the central Southland area overnight.

People coming from the east coast via SH1 and Clinton have a detour route of local roads west of Gore to Waimumu onto SH96, Te Tipua, then back onto SH1, says Transport Agency Journey Manager Peter Brown.

“Or drivers and riders can go via Lumsden, SH94 and onto Invercargill via SH6 through Winton,” he says.

• Check the traffic map: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
Gore to Mandeville, SH94, the Waimea Highway, reopened this morning as did SH96 Mataura to Te Tipua.

Other major changes overnight and this morning are:
SH6, the Makarewa Bridge north of Invercargill has reopened. Stop/go traffic management site is in place, so people should be ready for delays. This opens up access to Invercargill from the north. (The bridge over the Makarewa before Wallacetown on SH99 remains closed.)

SH6 Frankton to Five Rivers remains closed but has had a number of successful convoys last evening and more this morning to get traffic out of Te Anau via Five Rivers and onto Queenstown, where roads are open to the north. The road is now closed for the final repairs and rockfall area inspections before a mid-afternoon opening.

Check these links to see exactly when this highway south of Frankton/ Queenstown will reopen this afternoon:

• Frankton to Kingston: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/roadclosures/289766
• Kingston to Lumsden: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/roadclosures/289876

Fiordland, Milford Sound Piopiotahi, SH94
“We are aiming to open SH94 from Te Anau to Cascade Creek this afternoon (6 February), then open as far as the Hollyford Turnoff or The Divide by Friday afternoon (7 February),” says Mr Brown.

The full highway into Milford Sound Piopiotahi will not be open until at least mid next week and possibly beyond that, dependent on progress at a number of badly damaged sites.

Wider than this convoy route – Catlins local roads still closed
Civil Defence reports that a state of emergency continues in Clutha District and local roads managed by the councils are still close at Owaka in the Catlins where flooding is continuing to affect access as of this morning.

Check the traffic map for updates on all state highways: https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic

Civil Defence updates:
https://civildefencesouthland.govt.nz/
https://www.cluthadc.govt.nz/your-services/civil-defence-and-emergency/Pages/default.aspx

More links:

• Civil Defence updates: https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/?s=2020-02-05%2006:28:15 and https://civildefencesouthland.govt.nz/alert-details/?entry=284 and www.facebook.com/cdsouthland

• Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Milford Road page here - photos of damage also from aerial inspections: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh94-milford-road/

• https://www.facebook.com/HighwaysSouthNZ (Southland roads)

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:
• Traffic updates: nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTAsouthisland
• Twitter Otago/Southland: twitter.com/NZTAOS
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

© Scoop Media