District:
Emergency services are in attendance at a serious crash on Whitford Road.
The crash, involving two vehicles, was reported around 2.30pm.
Two people are injured, one of whom is in a critical condition and has been transported by ambulance to Auckland Hospital.
Cordons are in place on Whitford Road and will remain for most of the afternoon.
The Serious Crash Unit is at the scene and motorists are advised to avoid the area.
ENDS
Nick Baker/NZ Police
“We need to complete our post-winter clean-up and inspection of our network,” says Mark Stewart, Waka Kotahi Maintenance Contract Manager, Central Otago.
“Unfortunately, due to the nature of the works we are unable to do this while there is traffic on the road, for the safety of our staff and road users.
“Our only option is to close roads completely and we are choosing to do so at night to minimise disruption. For Kingston and Kawarau Gorge, the route will open at 30-minute intervals and a pilot vehicle will escort traffic through. For the Haast Road, the intervals could be up to an hour given the longer length of highway end to end.”
Over-dimension operators need to refer to their notification requirements on their permits.
The works will be carried out by Aspiring Highways, on behalf of Waka Kotahi.
“Our crews on site will be cleaning culverts, checking and cleaning water tables, sealing channels, pot holing, collecting rubbish, weed spraying and upgrading line markings,” says Mr Stewart.
An alternative route from Cromwell to Queenstown is via the Crown Range Road. Drivers are reminded weight restrictions apply on this Queenstown Lakes District Council Road.
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“As a result of the wet weather, there were slips and some rock scaling/ removal is needed above the highway between Inangahua and O’Sullivans Bridge,” says Moira Whinham, Maintenance Contract Manager, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
Sunday off
The 30-minute closures will apply from 8 am to 5 pm Monday, 20 September to Tuesday, 28 September, but not Sunday 26 September. O’Sullivans Bridge is where SH65, the Shenandoah Highway, meets SH6.
The closure is weather dependent and may be rescheduled if further wet weather occurs during this time.
Thanks to all road users for their patience while this rock removal is underway.
SH6 Murchison to Inangahua road works
West Coast traffic live updates
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District:
Police can confirm one person has died following a crash in Christchurch last night.
Emergency services were alerted to a two-vehicle crash on Sumner Road shortly before 11pm.
Sadly, one person was located deceased at the scene.
Two other people are reported to have suffered moderate to serious injuries in the crash.
The Serious Crash Unit has been notified and enquiries into the cause of the crash are continuing.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
The proposals, included in the draft Land Transport (Driver Licensing) Amendment Rule 2021 would include:
Waka Kotahi Senior Manager Systems Integrity Hayley Evans says the five year licence validity period has not encouraged drivers to progress to a full licence since it was introduced in December 2014.
“The current requirements are penalising people who are unable to progress, especially those who do not have access to driver training or to a roadworthy vehicle to practice driving in.
“Waka Kotahi wants to ensure the driver licensing system is accessible to everyone and encourages people to retain their licences, given the known economic and social benefits that holding a valid licence can offer.”
Ms Evans says the changes will remove the unnecessary cost, time pressure and stress of sitting and passing a theory test every five years while learner and restricted riders and drivers develop the necessary skills and confidence to progress through the system.
“The five-year limit and theory test requirement have had no clear impact on road safety since they were introduced in 2014, and as such we are proposing to remove both conditions and make newly issued learner and restricted licences valid for ten years, the same as a full licence.
“Removing the 90-day renewal window will allow learner or restricted licence holders to renew at their convenience and lessens the pressure on the driver licencing system, which is facing growing demand for theory and practical testing and a backlog of licence renewals created by COVID-19 lockdowns.”
The changes proposed in the Land Transport (Driver Licensing) Amendment Rule 2021 are part of a broader review of the graduated driver licensing system, being led by the Ministry of Transport, which will look to address barriers to progression within the system while maintaining or improving safety outcomes.
Further details on the consultation
Consultation closes at 5:00 pm on Friday 8 October 2021.
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“State Highway 94 has been closed from the Hollyford Road to Milford Sound/Piopiotahi since last Thursday evening with snowfall affecting travel before that,” says Kevin Thompson, Waka Kotahi Manager for the Milford Road Alliance.
“Currently we have large, natural avalanches occurring in a number of places. Given the low cloud and continuing rainfall, which is triggering avalanche material from high up the slopes, we cannot safely get crews in to clear the road yet.
“It’s been a large storm cycle over the past week or so. At the weekend we started getting heavy, warm rainfall onto our avalanche “start zones” which triggered avalanches covering the road in places. These take time and machinery to clear once it is safe to do so.”
Mr Thompson and the Milford Road Alliance team have been inspecting the upper slopes by helicopter today (Monday) to assess how safe it is to get in to clear.
The highway is remaining closed today with a further assessment at 4.30 pm likely to determine an opening timeline.
“We appreciate that many of the businesses that operate in the Sound are inconvenienced by the current closure. We will clear the avalanche material and get the road reopened, possibly for convoys during daylight hours in the first instance, as soon as it is safe to do so,” he says.
Above: The aptly named Avalanche Creek.
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UPDATE: Night closures Weld Pass, SH1, Blenheim: postponed – 16 September 2021, 4.36pm |
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The maintenance work will run from Monday, 20 September through to Friday night, 24 September, 7pm to 6am the next day. Weld Pass is a winding section of SH1 (see aerial view below).
Drivers will be allowed through every two hours with a ten to 15-minute window for single lane traffic each way.
After the 7pm closure, the first opening will be at 9pm, then 11pm, 1am, 3am and 5am. Full opening at 6am.
Waka Kotahi thanks all drivers who may be inconvenienced by this work and encourages everyone to plan for the opening times if they can. Traffic will be queued up at each end between opening times.
Electronic mobile signs will advertise the closures at each end i.e near Blenheim at the Roadhouse entry and in Seddon as well as fixed signs in other places.
An aerial view of SH1 Weld Pass.
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Strong wind gusts are expected to particularly affect State Highway 2 across the Remutaka Hill and the wider Wairarapa region today. Motorcyclists and people in lighter or high-sided vehicles need to be extra cautious travelling across the hill and should consider avoiding travel, if possible.
Last Friday, strong winds resulted in several vehicles being blown over across the Wairarapa, so with today’s high wind gusts, high-sided and vulnerable vehicles travelling around the region need to be extra alert. If winds become too strong on Remutaka Hill, there is a high risk that the road will need to be closed.
Heavy rain is also expected to affect roads across Wellington and the Wairarapa, so all motorists are advised to take care and drive to the conditions – keep speeds down, maintain a safe following distance and stay alert.
Crews will continue to monitor the situation closely and should any road closures be deemed necessary for people’s safety, updates will be posted on the Waka Kotahi Facebook, Twitter and Journey Planner pages (links below).
Motorists are advised to check for these updates and the MetService forecast before heading out. Even if the roads are open, the weather is expected to make driving challenging between now and this evening so everyone should take extra care on the roads.
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