A number of overnight convoys through State Highway 3 Awakino Gorge will be cancelled tonight, in anticipation of strong winds and heavy rainfall.
NZTA is constantly monitoring the slip site and short and long-range weather forecasts. In a press release, they said a combination of predicted high winds and rain in heavy bursts overnight has the potential to cause further slips.
This evening’s first convoys in each direction will still go ahead, but the remainder of the convoys overnight and tomorrow morning have been cancelled until a Geotech assessment at first light.
At this stage, the worst of the weather is expected to pass through overnight and pending Geotech approval, the southbound convoys will resume at 11am and the northbound convoys at 12.30pm.
NZTA acknowledges the overnight convoys will be disruptive, but states "The safety of all drivers and crews is our top-priority - a non-negotiable, so we need to take a cautious approach, especially as this will be the first combination of heavy rainfall and strong winds to impact the gorge since last month’s storm."
A number of safety precautions are in place for every convoy, including site monitoring, crew members who act as ‘spotters’ at the slip site ahead of every single convoy and large concrete barriers in place to ‘catch’ any falling debris.
This schedule has the possibility of changing further, depending on what happens with the incoming weather.
Updated Convoy schedule:
Friday 8 May to Saturday 9 May
One Convoy will depart in each direction on Friday 8 May, with the remaining convoys on Friday 8 May the morning of Saturday 9 and continue through to 7am Tuesday 12 May as per the schedule posted in the comments section below:
