Tararua repairs
Tararua District will receive part of a $9 million Horizons Regional Council package to repair damage to river management assets caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. The region suffered extensive damage to assets such as stop banks and erosion protection works from the cyclone. In addition, the regional council agreed to ongoing debris management in Taraura.
Roundabout sealing
The roundabouts at Norfolk Rd and Wiltons Rd are scheduled to be sealed this weekend, weather dependent. Waka Kotahi said the areas would be chip-sealed before asphalt is laid. Construction of the three roundabouts is due for completion in the middle of the year. Since the gravel surface and new road layouts were put in place in March, motorists have faced long delays travelling between Carterton and Masterton.
Gully progress
South Wairarapa District Council [SWDC] is making progress in repairing Boar Bush Gully Rd in Featherston, which was damaged by a slip last year. The slip was caused by a series of heavy rain events last winter and had continued to slip, risking undermining the road and Featherston’s water supply pipes. Earlier slips at that location had caused water outages in 2017 and 2020. An engineer’s report last year found the creek needed to be realigned because it was flowing very close to the road. Contractors built a ramp to move a digger from the road to the creek, so it could be realigned. SWDC said construction would prevent further flood damage.
Region divided
Wairarapa weather was a game of two halves last month, with the north of the region receiving far less rain than usual, and the south receiving far more. National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research [Niwa] said March rainfall was “well below normal” for northern Wairarapa, but southern Wairarapa saw “well above normal” rainfall. On March 30, strong southerly winds generated large swells for coastal parts of Wellington and Wairarapa. Cook Strait ferry crossings were cancelled, and several coastal roads in Wellington were closed because of debris being washed ashore, Niwa said.
