A massive slow-moving slip is threatening a busy Otago highway sitting 30 metres directly below the rubble.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is warning motorists intending to use State Highway 8 (SH8), between Cromwell and Alexandra, to go sooner rather than later as they prepare to potentially close the road on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
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A split in the land has developed above State Highway 8 and has destabilised the material underneath it.
Waka Kotahi Maintenance Contract Manager Mark Stewart said the slip near the intersection of SH8 and SH8B – known as Deadmans Point – was about 30m long, 20m wide, and 15m deep.
“Anyone who is travelling to Clyde or Alexandra or back to Cromwell today should go this afternoon and not wait for tonight. We may need to close this highway overnight from 5pm for everyone’s safety. We will also have short delays this afternoon if we are sluicing.”
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The slip was noticed moving relatively slowly but steadily earlier on Tuesday and the highway had been reduced to single lane for about 100 metres in both directions from the junction with SH8B, he said.
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A significant slow-moving slip is threatening a busy Otago highway linking Cromwell and Alexandra. State Highway 8 is below this moving mass of material.
The split above the highway had destabilised the material underneath it, he said.
“We thank people for building in extra time if they are travelling south on SH8 through the Cromwell Gorge, towards Clyde and Alexandra and to bear in mind the highway could be closed overnight. We will confirm that closure mid-afternoon.”
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The slip is near the intersection of SH8 and SH8B – known as Deadmans Point. It is 30 metres above the highway, and about 30 metres long, 20 metres wide and 15 metres deep.
Geotechnical advisors were currently on site deciding the best strategy to make the road safe.
”There is no other easy detour linking Cromwell with Alexandra … We are planning to sluice the site once weather allows using a chopper.
“Currently, it is foggy so once that fog clears, we will get on with that. Traffic crews will temporarily close the highway while any sluicing is under way for everyone’s safety.”
A Christchurch Transport Operations Centre spokesman said the road was down to one lane and was under stop/go traffic management.
An update was expected at 3pm on Tuesday, he said.
Updates are available on the NZTA website.
