West Coast drivers who travel at night need to work around some night-time highway closures for fresh road marking from 11 to 24 September, says Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

The work starts at the top of the region on the Rahu Saddle (SH7, Springs Junction to Reefton) then moves south onto SH6, Haast Pass north to Franz Josef.

• The highways will open each night from 1am to 1.30 am to clear traffic.

“From 10 pm to 6 am they will otherwise be closed,” says Moira Whinham, Maintenance Contract Manager for Waka Kotahi on the West Coast.

“If you drive these routes at night, please check the schedule and plan your journeys around these closure times. There are no simple detours, particularly for SH6. The electronic boards at key places each side of the closure points will advertise them in advance also to give people a reminder and update any changes in timing.

“Given the winding nature of these relatively narrow highways, it is important for our crews’ safety that they can apply the fresh road markings in a safe environment. Doing the work at night will affect the smallest number of drivers, but we appreciate it will still require planning from regular night-time drivers.

“The fresh road markings are crucial for drivers’ safety day and night on these tourist and freight route roads which cut through winding and mountainous terrain,” she says.

The timetable (NB: These times build in some extra time for wet days so look for updates on the electronic sites around each section of highway):

SH7 Springs Junction to Reefton: Monday, 11 September through to Friday 15 September, 10pm – 6am. Open 1am – 1:30am.

SH6 Haast Pass to Haast: Thursday, 14 September through to Monday, 18 September, 10pm – 6am. Open 1am – 1:30am.

SH6 Haast to Lake Paringa: Saturday, 16 September to Friday, 20 September, 10pm – 6am. Open 1am – 1:30am.

SH6 Lake Paringa to Fox Glacier: Sunday, 17 September to Friday, 22 September, 10pm – 6am. Open 1am – 1:30am.

SH6 Fox Glacier to Franz Josef: Monday, 18 September to Sunday 24 September, 10pm – 6am. Open 1am – 1:30am.

© Scoop Media