Queenstown highway to close for an hour

State Highway 6 at the Nevis Bluff will be closed for an hour this afternoon  while unstable rock is blasted from an area about 120m above the road.

The closure will affect motorists travelling between Queenstown and Cromwell from 1pm to 2pm.

The rock stabilisation work is part of ongoing safety and monitoring of the Nevis Bluff involving abseil inspections, rock scaling and blasting to remove loose debris and unstable rock.

NZ Transport Agency senior network manager John Jarvis said the rock blasting was vital for the continued safety of road users.

"The difficult nature of working high above the road on the bluff means that these longer traffic delays are necessary," he said.

Additionally, resealing of a section of the road east of the Nevis Bluff would also be done today.

Those travelling to Queenstown Airport or with appointments should aim to get through the Nevis Bluff by 1pm today, or travel via Wanaka and the Crown Range, Mr Harland said.

Outside the extended blast delay, safety work at the bluff would continue between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Drivers were advised to allow an extra 10 minutes  for journeys between Cromwell and Queenstown.

Work is scheduled to continue  until Friday, December 1.

Comments

Will the Nevis bluff ever be stable and safe? When I was a child 70 years ago it was a problem, and I see it still is. The whole ridge should be blown away, and then concrete barriers erected to protect the roadway from stray rocks falling towards the road.

 

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