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The State Highway 25A Taparahi Bridge reopened on 20 December 2023 after a massive landslip destroyed part of the road during the January storms. Photo: NZTA Waka Kotahi / James Davis
There's a party in Tairua today as the town celebrates the reopening of State Highway 25A - the key road connecting it to the rest of the country.
State Highway 25A between Kopu and Hikuai was closed after heavy rain and storms lashed the region in January - causing part of the road to be washed away into a gully.
Waka Kotahi has constructed a new 124-metre viaduct bridge which spans the part of the road that was destroyed.
It has been a tough year for Tairua residents - with people travelling two hours instead of half an hour to school in some instances - and visitor spending in the wider region has plummeted this year.
Peter Hunt is co-chair of the Tairua Business Association and owns a furniture shop in the town.
State Highway 25 over the Coromandel has completely collapsed at the summit. Photo: Supplied / Waka Kotahi