NZ’s Highway One about to re-open

Extensive road works will eventually lead to the reopening of State Highway 1 north of Kaikōura on December 15. The exact time of the opening is yet to be determined.

The earthquake-stricken State Highway 1 will open for 13-and-a-half hours a day while rebuild work continues.

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) on Monday confirmed the highway north and south of Kaikōura would open from 7am to 8.30pm daily once the road reopened to the public on December 15.

NZTA earthquake recovery manager Tim Crow said the night-time closures were needed because several sites would still be under construction.

One of the slip sites above State Highway 1 south of Kaikōura.

Some surfaces would still be unsealed, and there would be lane closures and stop/go traffic controls on parts of the road.

SH1 would be closed overnight north of Kaikōura between Clarence and Mangamaunu, and south of Kaikōura between Goose Bay and Peketa.

The number of worksites on SH1 would be reduced between December 15 and January 7 to help with traffic flow, but would ramp up again after the holidays.

“We’re committed to reopening the road in time for the holidays so that local residents and visitors can make their way up and down the coastal corridor,” Crow said.

“We want to ensure that people’s journeys are as smooth and reliable as possible over the holiday period, and we also want to give the road crews a well-deserved break. From 8 January we’ll be back working at full capacity to finish and improve the road.”