The eight-week project by the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) was aimed at removing debris from 40-year-old benches — steps built into the cliffs to prevent rocks falling on to the road — located above State Highway8 about 2km north of Clyde.
During the works, weekday traffic between Clyde and Cromwell faced up to 15 minute delays to allow contractors to work safely overhead.
A spokesperson for NZTA told The News the project was completed on time and as planned at a cost of $500,000.
"The work has gone very well, with the only delays experienced being due to a few days of fog," the spokesperson said.
Contractors, including an abseiling crew, focused their work on the Dairy Creek Benches — built into the cliffs around the time of the creation of the Clyde Dam.
The spokesperson said diggers were used to clear debris from the benches "to re-establish their capacity to intercept minor rock falls".
While the potential use of explosives had been flagged, they were not required, the spokesperson said.
There had been no major works at the site since the dam was built and Lake Dunstan filled in the early 1990s, they said.
