NZTA are warning motorists to plan ahead when traveling through SH3 Awakino Gorge as it's set to reopen 24/7 from Friday 22nd May at 5pm, without any convoys.
In a statement, New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says there will be delays and queues that will vary based on the volume of traffic, the work they are doing at the time, and the weather conditions.
"The road's re-opening, but it'll be under stop/go traffic management. You'll need to take turns going through some single-lane sections of the gorge."
They also thanked crews involved in the major clean-up and repair works. "Re-opening the road is a big win for everyone who travels this route. We owe a massive thank you to the roadworkers and specialist teams involved, who worked in less-than-ideal conditions to get the road back to a state where we can safely re-open it."
On 18 April the road was closed due to flooding and multiple large slips that made the gorge dangerous to drive. Since then roadworkers have been clearing the debris from multiple slip sites, reopening blocked culverts, restoring drainage, and stabilising the cliff faces at multiple sites.
