Government sets up alliance to repair road, rail infrastructure near Kaikoura

Wednesday 21st December 2016

Transport Minister Simon Bridges says an alliance has been established to repair road and rail infrastructure near the South Island coastal town of Kaikoura after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake isolated it in November.

The alliance, which will repair State Highway 1 to the north and the rail line to the north and south, includes the New Zealand Transport Agency, KiwiRail, Fulton Hogan, Downer, Higgins, and HEB Construction. It is being led by Duncan Gibb, formerly of the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team.

The earthquake isolated the tourist town in November and caused damage in the upper reaches of the South Island and lower part of the North Island. Last week the government said it expects to spend as much as $2 billion rebuilding the coastal route north and south of the stranded town and wants full access restored within a year.

This week the government restored access from the south for daytime traffic and has opened the inland Kaikoura road, Bridges said today. Road crews have removed more than 50,000 cubic metres of rock and material in more than 7,000 truckloads from 26 slips along the route, he said.

Work is currently underway on State Highway 1 north of Kaikoura to allow access for residents and to prepare for the huge job of clearing several massive slips blocking the road.

“The alliance will be lead agency to repair the transport infrastructure damaged during the earthquake,” said Bridges. “Other parts of the network have been significantly damaged and there’s a massive repair job ahead.”

The work is being carried out under an Order in Council, signed into force by the Governor General yesterday. The Order in Council will modify provisions of the Resource Management Act and nine other pieces of legislation, to streamline the recovery work.

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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