Final stage of work on SH60 Takaka Hill underway

A contract to complete the last five big repair sites on State Highway 60, Takaka Hill, significantly damaged by Cyclone Gita in 2018, has been awarded to construction company Downer by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

Ten minor sites damaged in the early 2018 storm were repaired and completed by mid2019.

About $20 million of funding has been provided by the Transport Agency for the entire Takaka Hill emergency response and recovery, which includes around $12 million for repairs to the five last major sites this summer.

Transport Agency Project Manager for Takaka Hill Chris Robertson says Downer will now undertake essential planning and prepara- tion work before rolling out the heavy machinery, allowing the team to complete the physical works safely and efficiently.

“This will help speed up the construction process and reduce unnecessary disruption.

By completing planning and design upfront, it means construction can continue without requiring significant road closures or major changes for Takaka Hill roadusers,” he says.

“The remaining five sites are all significant pieces of work with geotechnical risks, and there’s a huge amount of work going on behind the scenes to help get this road back up and running and fully opened without traffic management as quickly as possible.”

Since the early 2018

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Cyclone Gita storm, the hill access to Golden Bay has had one-way sections controlled by traffic signals.

The project team will now complete planning and preparation of required construction plans – for example for Health and Safety, Quality and Construction Management.

They will also be developing the ‘temporary works design’ - an essential part of the project to provide a safe working area for the team below the live carriageway.

Additional geotechnical investigations will happen as soon as possible to enable the temporary design to be confirmed prior to construction.

Once construction gets underway in the New Year, there will be multiple sites under