Cost of managing slip at Diana Falls $3m

The cost of managing the slip at Diana Falls in the Haast Pass is climbing rapidly and has now reached $3 million.

However, an end to the mounting management bill is in sight after the New Zealand Transport Agency last week announced plans to begin work on a long-term solution early in the new year.

Since the slip occurred during a storm on September 10, the NZTA has spent about $3 million to keep State Highway 6 through the Haast Pass open and ensure the safety of both motorists travelling through the area and contractors working on site.

NZTA senior network manager Mark Pinner said about $1.6 million was spent on manpower and machinery, $400,000 on helicopters, $400,000 on geotechnical and aerial surveys, $150,000 on signs and traffic control, $150,000 on radio communications, and about $300,000 on abseilers.

The planned long-term solution would hopefully enable two-lane, 24/7 access to be reinstated through the area from April/May, Mr Pinner said last week.

The work would involve blasting the large 200- and 300-tonne rocks sitting at the head scarp of the slip into smaller pieces for removal and installing attenuator fences across the slip face to catch and hold up to 2500 tonnes of rock and material.

Until then, the highway will continue to open daily from 8am at the Diana Falls site (7am at Haast township and 7.30am at Makarora), and close at the site at 7pm (6pm at Haast township and 6.30pm at Makarora.)

 

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