Roxburgh is due to have the third in a trio of culvert replacements and upgrades early next month, to cater for higher flood waters the area has experienced in recent years.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency announced on Friday (September 1) that a four-metre-square culvert at Black Jack’s Creek on State Highway 8 would be replaced by one nearly four times bigger to improve road flooding resilience in Roxburgh.

The replacement would require a full highway closure for eight days, from Sunday October 1 at 8 am to Monday October 9 at 8 am. State Highway 8 would be fully closed from Jedburgh St to Millers Flat Bridge Road.

The culvert, measuring five metres by three metres, will be installed at Black Jack’s Creek on State Highway 8 in a month’s time.

Waka Kotahi Otago and Southland network and structures manager Michael Tannock said it was important freight users knew if their vehicles could use the posted detour route, which was not suitable for overweight vehicles or over-dimension loads 

“We appreciate everyone’s care around our crews and on the detour route, which will add 20 or 25 minutes for people at either end of the highway closure,” he said.

The Black Jack’s Creek culvert replacement follows the upgrade of Golf Course Creek’s culvert with increased capacity in October 2022, and the replacement of the Pumphouse Creek culvert in 2021.

“All three creeks had an ongoing risk of flooding,” Michael said. “The larger culverts will help channel flood waters and gravels under the road down to the Clutha River/Mata-Au.”

Residents and business owners will have access inside the closure points and up to each side of the work site, but due to the nature of the works no traffic including pedestrians or cyclists will have access through the work site.

All of the work is weather dependent, so dates could change.