The road between Omarama and Central Otago was closed for two days last month, frustrating motorists.
Over the summer, the agency installed wire-rope barriers at the summit as part of a $500,000 safety programme.
Locals spoken to by the Otago Daily Times some weeks ago predicted the barriers would cause problems for roading contractors when the time came for snow to be cleared and Otago Southland highway operations manager Roger Bailey confirmed the barriers had slowed snow clearing ''a little bit'' when 70cm of snow fell at the pass summit.
Snow has to be shovelled over the top of the barriers with a digger rather than being swept over the edge with a grader or snowplough.
However, Mr Bailey said ''for the most part, it is no different from any other barriers we have got. For the majority of the time, the enhanced safety benefits far exceed a little bit of time lost that maybe occurs when you have got a significant snow event.''
