Oparakau locals will shortly notice a bigger roadside presence along SH12 as teams work to repair two historic slips.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has awarded United Civil Construction with the contract to carry out the works.

“We appreciate the patience of road users while we sought to find best team for the job”, says Northland System Manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult.

“The damage to SH12 occurred last year, when an embankment deteriorated, causing a four to five metre slip to form on either side of the highway. This resulted in the loss of the road shoulder support.”

In order to repair the slips, the hillside will be filled and rebuilt and a modular block retaining wall installed along the embankment to protect the roadside.

Work to excavate the slip material has already started.

“With the help of traffic management, both lanes of the road will continue to remain open throughout the duration of the works, which are expected to take up to eight weeks,” says Jacqui Hori-Hoult.

Waka Kotahi asks road users to please follow temporary speed limits and the advice of crews on site, as the road layout may vary throughout the works.

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