Transport

SH59 Pukerua Bay Hillside Stabilisation

• • Announcements, Road safety, Shared Pathways & Cycleways, Transport

Waka Kotahi has provided an update on the measures being taken to lessen the threat of further slips. This work is going to several weeks. The opening of Transmission Gully provides an opportunity to undertake remedial work that would be a far more difficult undertaking were the route still State Highway 1.

SLIP CONTROL, PUKERUA BAY HILLSIDE SAFETY PROJECT: UPDATE 26 August 2022

A hillside safety project is underway to help prevent further slips on the State Highway 59 coast road leading up to Pukerua Bay. Wellington Transport Alliance crews are removing a large overhang of soil and trees above the slip face to prevent further slips. A deep fracture in the ground behind the overhang at the top of the hill means this area is very unstable and could break away at any time.

Hillside slip control

The road between Fisherman’s Table and the northern end of Pukerua Bay has become a worksite and must remain closed for everyone’s safety, not just because of the risk of a slip but because of the machines operating in the area. The safety project could take some weeks, depending on conditions. The hillside diagram, shown over the page, illustrates the overhang and the fractured ground and highlights the work that is planned to reshape the hill and prevent further slips.

Multiple works, including road and barrier repairs, tree pruning and other maintenance, are taking place to make the most of the closure.

The hillside is being inspected daily to assess when pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles can be allowed back in the area. Meanwhile, pedestrians and cyclists can use the Pukerua Bay off-road beach walking track to bypass the works but must exercise caution for high tides and weather conditions. The soft beach sand and the slope leading up to the layby at the bottom of the hill make for difficult going, particularly for cyclists. A fenced-off path has been created around the layby to keep path users safe from moving machinery. The path beside the seawall north of the layby can be used and we ask people to stay on the path and not to walk or cycle on the road as work trucks and machinery are using the area.

Please contact: customer@wta.nzta.govt.nz with your queries.

State Highway 59 facing longer-term closure because of slip risk – impact on pedestrians and cyclists

• • Erosion, Road safety, Transport

Update from Waka Kotahi yesterday, 22 August

State Highway 59 between Paekākāriki and Pukerua Bay will remain closed until further notice.

The highway has been closed since Friday, 19 August after multiple slips. Further assessments over the weekend determined the slip site remains unpredictable. Making the site safe is a significant job, and it could take several weeks before it can reopen to traffic.

Now that work has commenced cyclists and pedestrians will not be able to pass through the wider worksite, due to the ongoing risk of material falling from the slip site and heavy vehicles and machinery  moving around the wider area.

Additional barriers and fencing will be installed at the northern end of Coast Road, across the road at Fisherman’s Table and the southern end at the Pukerua Bay bottom carpark. We ask all pedestrians and cyclists to avoid the area please.

As work progresses we will review each stage to determine whether it will be safe to pass through, and we will provide updates. This work is likely to take several weeks, which we appreciate is inconvenient for locals, but your safety is our priority.

We thank you for your patience and understanding.

SH59 Pukerua Bay to Paekākāriki closed until further notice

• • Erosion, Road safety, Transport

Latest update from Waka Kotahi

FYI – State Highway 59 facing longer-term closure because of slip risk

State Highway 59 between Paekākāriki and Pukerua Bay will remain closed until further notice.

The highway has been closed since Friday, 19 August after multiple slips. However, further assessments over the weekend show the slip site remains highly unstable.

Making the site safe will be a significant job, and it could take several weeks before it can reopen to traffic.

A further update on its status will be provided on Friday 26 August. Work is underway to determine the best options for fixing and reopening the highway.

Pukerua Bay residents can access from the south. Paekākāriki resident access is to the north.

All other road users should avoid the area and use State Highway 1, Transmission Gully, as an alternative route.

We want to thank road users and residents for their patience and understanding as your safety is our first priority.

Train replacement buses disrupted by SH59 closure

• • Announcements, Transport

The latest from Metlink:

Kapiti Line: Bus replacement services are now shuttling between Waikanae and Porirua and Pukerua Bay and Porirua until further notice due to slips

Last updated: 8:50am Saturday 20 August

Due to further slips on SH59, Kapiti Line bus replacement services will now shuttle from Waikanae to Porirua as buses and then shuttle from Porirua to Pukerua Bay via a shuttle bus. Limited capacity is available, please expect delays and arrange alternate transport where possible.

Service change due to weather or natural disaster