Another month of night hill closures

Another month of five-night-in-a-row Remutaka Hill road closures is ahead as authorities rebuild what is desribed as a severe “downside” slip which undercut the outside lane at one of the road’s narrowest sections.

NZTA/Waka Kotahi began its overnight work on October 7, noting the sight “requires immediate action to stabilise the slip and build a retaining wall to protect the road.”

“Because of the work involved, the equipment needed to do the work and to keep workers and the public safe, the road will have to be closed” at nights for at least nine weeks, it added at the time.

Remutaka Hill road _ the main artery linking Wellington and Wairarapa _ has an average of 7,219 vehicles using the road daily. Of these, some 256 use the road between 9:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m.

The agency noted some 15 concrete piles are being installed to prevent the slip from deteriorating and severely disrupting the road, and will be followed by the construction of  a retaining wall at the slip site.

Closures continue Sunday to Thursday nights, with one lane under Stop/Go traffic control 24/7. 

The agency said consultation had shown that such “block closures” were the best and safest way to carry out repairs and maintenance on the route.