NZTA urged to do more to improve resilience of Awakino Gorge on SH3

Questions are being raised about what more the Transport Agency can do to improve the resilience of State Highway 3 between Waikato and Taranaki following last week's storm in the central North Island.

Massive slips in the Awakino Gorge closed the highway for days and it is still down to one lane in many places.

The route is an economic lifeline, particularly for Taranaki.

General manager at Piopio-based Progress Transport Limited, Scott Lyford, knew all about it when the Awakino Gorge was closed.

"Probably half our work goes that way, obviously we did not much last week at all."

He said the company was not only out of money but now chasing its tail.

"It just puts pressure on other times, like, it's going to put pressure on next week and the week after and the week after. You just lose momentum."

He had some sympathy for the challenges NZTA faced keeping the Awakino Gorge open during major weather events.

"I don't know what they can do actually to be fair. But yeah it's a little bit pointless having Mt Messenger all tidied up and the gorge closed up for a few days. That's not helpful at all."

NZTA had committed more than $365 million so far to the Mt Messenger Bypass project at another notoriously steep and windy part of State Highway 3 prone to weather-related closures.

Lyford wasn't sure if there were any similar options for Awakino Gorge.

"There's really nowhere else to go. Yeah there's nowhere else to do. All the alternatives are worse."

A more than 20 kilometre stretch of SH3 wound its way through the narrow Awakino Gorge, which took its name from the river it followed. It was lined with steep hills clad in bush or forestry and prone to slips.

According to NZTA, over the past 10 years there were 10 fatal crashes on SH3 between Awakino and Piopio in which 10 people died.

There were 31 serious injury crashes in which 46 people were injured; 67 minor injury crashes in which 91 people were hurt and 141 non-injury crashes.

All up, there were 249 crashes in which 147 people were either killed or injured.

Between October 2015 and October 2015, NZTA said there had been just 21 unplanned road closures between Urenui and Eight Mile Junction outside of Te Kūiti.

The scars of the most recent weather event in the Awakino Gorge were clearly evident with gouges in the cliff faces and mud across the road, which is down to one lane in multiple places.

At the Awakino Hotel, publican Sean Jeffares said it had been a bad year in the gorge.

"It's definitely affects the business here as we had to close pretty much four days because they blocked the road in Mōkau and the gorge, and we've closed I think three weekends this year through the gorge being closed.

"So, it's a loss of revenue, a big loss of revenue really. When it's the weekend and it closes that's when it really affects us because no-one's coming out and that's our days when we make money."

Up the road owner of the Mōkau Bryan Lester was also smarting.

"Oh it has a massive impact I mean 90 percent of my business is travelling people. I've got a real good name out there and a big following and if they can't get through because the roads are closed my business may as well stay shut.

"Both with Mt Messenger project when they do the road closures or delays it still has a big impact on my business and yeah when the gorge is closed it's just the same."

In New Plymouth freshly-elected Mayor Max Brough already had the Awakino Gorge on his radar, despite it not being on his patch.

"Yesterday one of the conversations was how can we partner up with our neighbour to get NZTA to start putting some focus into this.

"It's our lifeblood that road and it's been ongoing forever. We've seen slips at Māhoenui. It's a constant theme, so at some point we have to have a council that [is] teaming up with our neighbour where the road is in their area and we need to work together to get onto this."

Waitomo Mayor John Robertson was busy visiting farmers affected by the same storm.

He was keen to work with his Taranaki colleague.

"In the early days when the network was being built there were plans to bring it in a different direction closer to the coast, but it's not been made that way so I think it is a matter now of making that road resilient.

"Like Mt Messenger it will take a lot of dollars but as a crucial network for New Plymouth, for Taranaki it's important that it is done."

NZTA regional manager, system design, Waikato, Susan Collins, said it recognised Awakino Gorge was an important part of the network connecting Taranaki to Waikato and beyond; a key contributor to the economies of both regions, relied upon by the freight industry and so many communities.

Collins said between 2013 and 2017 NZTA undertook a thorough look at State Highway 3, including both Mt Messenger and the Awakino Gorge area, which highlighted key concerns such as resilience, safety and overall journey experience.

An important project identified was the $50m Awakino Tunnel Bypass which was completed in 2021.

"It considered a substantial realignment south of the existing tunnel that was rejected because it would cost more than four times the closer realignment chosen, due to the challenging terrain and substantial earthworks required."

NZTA said ongoing efforts in the Awakino Gorge were focused on maintaining resilience and safety.

"Crews respond as necessary and may close the state highway as needed - as we have seen in the past week. Driver safety is our priority."

By the numbers (source: NZTA)

Crashes SH3 Awakino to Piopio 2015-2025

• Fatal crashes - 10, in which 10 people died
• Serious injury crashes - 31, in which 46 people were seriously injured
• Minor injury crashes - 67, in which 91 people were hurt
• Non-injury crashes - 141

Unplanned road closures SH3 2015-2025

• Urenui to Eight Mile Junction - 21

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