So the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) will be closing State Highway 8 between Cromwell and Clyde Dam, from 8am and 9am, this Sunday and the two following Sundays to allow pest control work to be carried out.
An NZTA spokesman said road users should plan their travel accordingly.
‘‘These closures will allow NZTA and pest management staff to safely carry out helicopter pest control work on the steep slopes near the highway.
‘‘The work, over a 23km section of SH8, will target feral goats which are increasing in number in the area and pose a safety risk when they wander on to or near the road, potentially leading to crashes.
‘‘The goats also damage vegetation and contribute to erosion on the hillsides above the highway, which can increase the rockfall risk.’’
For safety reasons, public campsites and rest areas in the Cromwell Gorge would close before the control work started, and reopen at 9am after the closures ended.
‘‘During the closures, people can use nearby Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) freedom camping sites at Bendigo and Lowburn.’’
The spokesman said further helicopter control work would be carried out a safe distance up the slopes from the road between 9am and 11am on each Sunday, without any impact on use of SH8.
The helicopter control work from this Sunday would be weather dependent, so people should check if there was any change to the schedule on NZTA’s Journey Planner website.
