Upper Buller Gorge, SH6, slips, closures due to heavy rain over weekend/ Sunday 8 July

A slip in the Upper Buller Gorge, State Highway 6, closed the highway in the early hours of Monday, 9 July. Damage has occurred to a car that encountered the slip before Transport Agency contractors had reached the site around 1 am and established the closure. The sole occupant, the driver, was unharmed.

“The slip is between Lyell and the Iron Bridge,” says Margarita Gonzalez-Borrero, NZ Transport Agency Maintenance Contract Manager.”

“This slip and some others on SH6 will be assessed by geotechnical advisors today and crews are working hard to clear a lane of the highway in the meantime in a number of places.”

The size of the slip is estimated at 800 cubic metres of material. Flood waters from the river yesterday have also caused some damage to the highway seal along this road and left debris along the highway.

“There are another two slips of considerable size at SH6 Coast Road (between Greymouth and Westport) and at Berlins (lower Buller Gorge) – each more than 500 cubic metres each.”

http://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/regions/12(external link)

For more information

• The key traffic and travel source which provides up-to-date information on weather and road conditions is www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic(external link)
• Important information is also shared via the Transport Agency’s official Twitter and Facebook accounts listed www.nzta.govt.nz/contact-us/connect-with-us/(external link)
• Drivers can also call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49) to speak to the call centre team who can provide them with traffic and travel information either before they’re travelling or when they’re on the road.