Rocks slowing down gorge headway

As crews working on the face of the Manawatu Gorge slip move down the hill, the task becomes more difficult.

Contractors were working 14 hours a day to stabilise the slip site, NZ Transport Agency acting state highways manager John Jones said. The Higgins crews were working on digging the third of a series of benches.

"Our plan is to cut at least five benches before assessing whether or not to continue benching down to road level, so it's great to be more than halfway there," Mr Jones said.

"It's been a hard slog, with crews working long hours six days a week – moving to seven from next Tuesday – often from 6am to 8pm – and there's plenty more work ahead. The crews up there on the slope have a huge and difficult task, and their dedication is commendable.

"As we make our way down the slip, we're striking more and more rock, and when we push it off the slip it becomes dangerous to remove material at the bottom.

"Three times a day, the road crew moves off the slip, allowing the diggers at the top to push the rocks and dirt down to the trucks below."

State Highway 3 through the gorge has been shut for 157 days since the first in a series of slips blocked the road on August 18.

This week NZTA was expected to announce a new date for the possible completion of work in the gorge, though that would be an estimate as it was not yet known what damage was done to the road beneath the slip.

Yesterday the transport agency introduced restrictions on the use of the Saddle Rd, one of two alternative routes to the gorge, by oversized vehicles.

The move came after at least two accidents on the route. A bus slid off the road two weeks ago and last week two cars collided head-on, with five people taken to hospital.

Oversized vehicles are barred from the Saddle Rd on weekdays from 7am until 9am, and from 4pm until 7pm. These vehicles will still be able to use the Pahiatua Track during these hours, which is wider than the Saddle Rd.

Mr Jones said the edge of the first bench, the top one, had been hydro-seeded with grass late last year, and was taking hold well.

Planting helped stabilise the hillside and NZTA planned to plant moss on the other benches. This would trap seeds from adjacent plants and encourage the regeneration of native species, he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News