Bridge out: SH50 closure affecting business, travel in rural CHB – NZ Herald

A rural retailer in Central Hawke’s Bay is already feeling the financial impact of flooding that knocked out a bridge and closed a highway in the weekend’s downpour.

State Highway 50 between Ongaonga and Tikokino closed overnight Friday-Saturday after a large part of the road and the Waipawa River Bridge abutment was washed away, due to the Waipawa River flooding.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said it can’t give any idea on how long it will take to fix.

Jasmine Carr, who works in the Ongaonga General Store, said the shop was “down to half our normal business” since the highway closure reduced traffic flows on Saturday.

“It was quite noticeable, it’s very quiet,” Carr said.

The closure would also impact school trips this week. “It makes it really awkward because I take my kids to school in Tikokino, which is normally a nine-minute trip, but now I’ll need to drive into Waipawa and take the longer route, which takes about 27 minutes.

“I’m really not impressed that my petrol bill is going to go up.”

She said other parents of schoolkids in the settlement are similarly affected.

Down the road at Tikokino’s Sawyer’s Arms pub, owner Colleen Morris said this week would be telling for the SH50 establishment.

“After Cyclone Gabrielle we had a very slow week, so who knows this time,” Morris said.

The publican said the rain was certainly the “main complaint in the pub”.

A Waka Kotahi spokesperson said geotech engineers were continuing to assess the damage at the site of the abutment washout.

“Those assessments are continuing and at this stage there is no estimated timeframe on the reinstatement of that abutment,” the spokesperson said.

“Water levels will need to recede further before assessments can be fully carried out to determine the solution and timeframe for the fix.”

Road users are being asked to use SH2 through Central Hawke’s Bay as a detour.

“We are working as quickly as possible to finalise a timeframe. SH50 is an important link to Hawke’s Bay from central North Island and the lower North Island – we will be doing what we can to restore this access as quickly and safely as we possibly can.”

Meanwhile Metservice meteorologist Jessie Owen said the worst of the rain was over for Central Hawke’s Bay.

“There are still a few showers hanging around, but with the next rain band expected on Monday and Tuesday, most of the heavier stuff will fall closer to the coast,” Owen said.

About midweek the winds will turn a southwesterly direction, “which tends to mean things are a bit more sheltered”.

SH5 has re-opened between Taupō and Eskdale has reopened after closing overnight Saturday-Sunday. “Please be aware crews remain on-site at multiple locations along the road clearing debris and undertaking assessments,” a Waka Kotahi spokesperson said.

SH2 Napier to Wairoa remains open.

The Central Hawke’s Bay District Council said on Saturday that in addition to the closure between Tikokino and Ongaonga, a number of other local roads were impacted by surface flooding, including Farm Road, 400 metres from Middleton Road, where a tree has blocked the road.

Also closed due to flooding are Gwavas Road at Wilsons Temporary Access Bridge, six kilometres from SH50. “Currently access to the north end of Gwavas Road is through Salisbury Road in Hastings,” a spokesperson said.

Herrick Street in Ongaonga is also closed at Taylors/Mackies Slab, as is Hiranui Road. Wakarara Road is closed at Douglas Cutting Bridge and Wharetoka Road, 0.8 kilometres from Butler Road.

A boil water notice is also in place for Waipukurau due to the flooding and “reduced clarity” of the river.