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Ahead of the nine-week closure of State Highway 1 at the Brynderwyns, the Northland Transportation Alliance (NTA) says it’s confident that following significant improvements, alternative routes for private and commercial vehicles will be in good shape.
NZTA Waka Kotahi plans to close the corridor for crucial repairs on slips caused by last year’s severe weather events from February 26 until March 27, then reopen it for six days over Easter, before closing it again on April 3 until the work is completed.
When the route was closed for post-storm repairs for 58 days last year, alternative routes east and west of the hills proved inadequate at times.
Some drivers reported getting lost due to insufficient signage. Serious traffic disruptions occurred when large trucks using the eastern detour – via Waipu and Mangawhai – were unable to navigate a hairpin bend on Cove Road, between Langs Beach and Mangawhai Heads, blocking the road.
This time, three alternative routes have been identified for the closure period:
The “scenic” detour, leaving SH1 at Waipu and the looping through Mangawhai before heading back to SH1 at Kaiwaka. It adds about 25 minutes to the trip between Whangārei and Auckland. Large trucks will not be allowed to use this route unless making deliveries locally.
The freight detour, leaving SH1 at Oakleigh then south to Paparoa before joining SH12 heading east back to SH1. It’s expected to add about 15 minutes to the trip.
The western detour, for oversized trucks – from Whangārei, west along SH14 to Dargaville, then south and east along SH12 via Paparoa and Maungaturoto to the SH1. The route is expected to add almost an hour of additional travel time.
The NTA, a collaboration of NZTA and local governments in Northland, says roading crews have made significant progress improving and stabilising all three alternative routes.
NTA maintenance and operations manager Bernard Petersen said Kaipara and Whangārei District Council crews have completed around 300 repairs, including resealing, rehabilitation, improving bridge approaches, signage, line marking, drainage improvements, repairing underslips and subsidence and road realignments. Repairs will continue in the coming weeks.
“The collaboration between 22 Kaipara- and Whangārei-based contractors to get the job done has been superb, because they recognise how critically important this is for the region to get our routes into Northland in good shape.”
Petersen said around 14 per cent of the detour length had been resurfaced and about 20 per cent of the total roading area had undergone pavement strengthening, at a cost of more than $5.5 million in local and central government contributions.
Detour signage is being updated to ensure locals and visitors can easily understand and navigate the alternative routes.
National Road Carriers Association commercial transport specialist Paula Rogers said the NRC, an industry group for road transport operators, had been working closely with NZTA on the upcoming Brynderwyns closure, regarding the timing as well as the detour routes.
She said the fact there has been plenty of notice about the planned closure had enabled the association to communicate what is needed to ensure detour routes are safe for all road users.
“A lot of work has been completed, especially on the Paparoa–Oakleigh Road, which we are grateful for,” Rogers said. “NRC requested detour signage to be improved on the eastern detour route, which has been instigated. So hopefully there won’t be a repeat of last time.”
She said the association was continually sending updates to the freight sector ,stressing the importance of using the approved freight detour routes.
“We all understand the closure needs to happen. Otherwise, if it’s delayed we will find ourselves in the winter months, and we all know what could happen then.”
In November, NZTA announced that $61 million had been approved for immediate and medium-term recovery and enabling works on the SH1 at the Brynderwyns.
“This is to ensure that the key route can withstand future weather events and disruptions this coming winter and the immediate years to follow,” it said.
