Safer SH2
Waka Kotahi has advised that safety improvements work is about to begin on State Highway 2 north of Masterton. Starting on November 5 and running through to mid-December, the work will be done at several sites between Ruamahanga Gorge Rd and Bruce Rd near Mount Bruce. Wellington Transport Alliance contractors will be installing new safety barriers, carrying out drainage work, removing trees at risk of falling onto the highway, and sealing driveways. The work will be done during weekdays from 7am to 6.30pm with stop/go traffic management in place, and Waka Kotahi advises motorists that there will be short travel delays for those travelling between Masterton and Eketāhuna as a result. Further work on this stretch of road will be running concurrently because road reconstruction work will also be carried out from November 6 to the end of the month.
Freedom
camping talk
South Wairarapa District Council is holding a drop-in session at Tora this weekend with councillors and council staff available to talk about the proposed freedom camping bylaw, which would still allow camping using a tent, a non-self-contained vehicle, or a certified self-contained vehicle at the district’s most popular locations. The session will be hosted at Tora Woolshed, at 9.30am on Sunday.
Halloween hoax
It was brought to Masterton District Council’s attention that there was illicit activity going on with its Halloween Island event on Tuesday. Innocent civilians who were just looking for a wholesome night of Halloween fun were being targeted by fake accounts selling tickets to the free event. A quick notification sent out by council put a stop to the madness.
DORA explorer
DORA the bus is coming to Wairarapa. The 8-seater bus travels around New Zealand offering free sessions about scam prevention, online banking, and online health. DORA [which stands for Digital On Road Access] will be at Mitre 10 Masterton from 10.30am to 12.30 pm on November 6, before travelling to Whaiora Masterton in the afternoon from 2pm to 4pm. DORA will also be out and about in the region for several days over the following weeks. Morning sessions will focus on online safety while afternoons cover online banking and online health.
