Anger in them thar hills

There’s outrage along ‘The Great Alpine Highway No. 73’ at NZTA / Waka Kotahi’s decision to close the road between Arthur’s Pass and Otira townships for a two week period this December.

The closure from the 4th which is Westland Anniversary Day, to the 15th  between 10am and 6pm has angered business and tourist operators and has been called every thing from dumb to ludicrous.

The work is for road re surfacing and while NZTA is understood to have spoken to the trucking industry which said it could operate at night, locals claim they weren’t consulted.

Near two years ago the agency proposed a road closure policy for the same highway in the winter when snow threatened which had business, communities and farming groups in the area up in arms, forcing a backdown.

An average 1500 vehicles a day use the route and the alternative for the closure period will a longer trip via the Lewis Pass.