People who use the road between Cromwell and Queenstown, State Highway 6, will see abseilers and drilling activities at the Nevis Bluff from Monday, 23 September.
The NZ Transport Agency’s Aspiring Highways team is about to start significant further rock stabilisation work at the Bluff.
Drivers travelling between Cromwell and Queenstown are reminded to take extra care around any road crews or traffic management sites. Short delays are possible.
“As part of the Transport Agency’s ongoing safety and monitoring of the Nevis Bluff, this planned work was put off in earlier 2019 to stabilise a more unstable area of the Bluff. This was completed in early July,” says Mark Stewart, Central Otago Maintenance Contract Manager, NZ Transport Agency.
The planned stabilisation of the rock mass known as ‘Midstream Columns’ (see map below) provides a number of benefits for the long-term management of the Bluff and road users’ safety:
“The cost of the work, which will take around 12 weeks to complete, through to mid-December, is around $850,000,” says Mr Stewart.
“The work will involve stabilising the rock mass with around 130 rock bolts. The rock mass is a key part of the Bluff and it would be significantly disruptive to road users to blast using explosives, although some small blasting will occur in the first two to three weeks to clean up the rock face,” he says.
“Most of the work can be completed with the road remaining open to two lanes with minimal disruption to road users.”
The Midstream Columns rock feature is next to the site of the 30,000 cubic metre Nevis Bluff 1975 rockfall, which closed the road for several weeks and caused significant disruption for months afterwards while clean up and stabilisation work was completed.
Drillers working on the Nevis stabilisation work in early 2019
The 1975 rockfall 44 years ago at Nevis Bluff and the current stabilisation work at the Midstream Columns
The Nevis Bluff is about half way between Cromwell and Queenstown – 25 minutes from Cromwell, 35 minutes from Queenstown.
This work is subject to weather conditions.
The Transport Agency thanks everyone for their patience and for taking care around road crews and other road users while this important safety work is completed.
Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:
