Motorists using State Highway 6 through the Kawarau Gorge will face overnight delays for a few weeks longer than expected as crews continue stabilisation work on a slumping section of the highway. 

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) had hoped to wrap up the work by October 24 but now expects it to continue until November 7. 

The project targets a narrow stretch of the gorge where the road surface has started to crack and slump due to gradual movement in the retaining walls beneath the highway, which is hemmed in by a rock face on one side and drops steeply to the Kawarau River on the other. 

NZTA spokesperson Jarrod Booker said crews had encountered unforeseen ground conditions, and an alternative plan of attack was required at the site. 

“We are now using steel casing for some of the rock bolts and micro-piles, which is taking more time but allows us to meet the required specifications.” 

The stabilisation work requires overnight closures between 9 pm and 6 am, with traffic let through in one direction at a time on the hour, which means some travellers face delays of up to an hour.  

The fix-it plan for roading crews on State Highway 6 out of Cromwell has adjusted to ‘unforeseen ground conditions’. Image: Supplied/NZTA

Jarrod said the traffic management had been working smoothly so far and will continue until the work is finished. 

The Kawarau Gorge project is one of several affecting state highways in the wider region this spring, including north of Cromwell, heading toward the Lindis Pass on State Highway 8, where work continues on the Bendigo Terrace road reconstruction.  

NZTA this week reminded motorists to plan for delays and check for roadworks before they travel, with crews taking advantage of the longer daylight hours and milder weather to also get seasonal maintenance and repair done.

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