Retired Manawatū Gorge highway could be safe enough for people to use
Thursday, 26 May 2022
The slip-stricken highway through the Manawatū Gorge could have a second life as a track for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, but there are many hurdles to cross if it is going to happen.
The idea has support from iwi and councils, although their plan for the area has been formulated without knowing just how likely it is the road can be repurposed.
State Highway 3 through the gorge has been closed since April 2017 due to a combination of multiple landslides and a high risk of further rockfalls.
Traffic between Manawatū and Hawke’s Bay has been diverted via the Saddle Rd and Pahīatua Track – both narrow, winding roads – since.
A new highway over the Ruahine Range, Te Ahu a Turanga, is scheduled for completion in 2024.
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Geotechnical assessments done leading up to the 2017 closure uncovered a high risk of a large landslip taking place in the gorge.
Despite that, and fences and signs being erected warning people to stay out, walkers and cyclists regularly traverse the old highway.
Fences have been cut, graffiti scrawled on old road infrastructure and clear paths made across the slips.
But new geotechnical assessments have opened the door to the old road becoming something more than an engineering relic.
Waka Kotahi system design regional manager Sarah Downs said the assessments showed it was still too dangerous for cars to use the road.
However, the risk was lower for people on foot, bicycles or horses.
While that sounded counter-intuitive – cars arguably offer more protection from large rocks than a helmet or boot spurs – Downs said people were less aware of their surroundings in cars than on foot.
But there were some caveats to the risk assessment.
The gorge in its current state was still too dangerous, with Downs saying people should not proceed past the fences.
The risk could be lowered to a tolerable level by clearing slips and ensuring infrastructure was in good condition.
But exactly who would do that was up in the air.
Waka Kotahi could not invest in projects which were not part of the infrastructure network, while it was still working through what work it may be legally liable for before handing the road over, Downs said.
Roads were usually handed over in good condition, like when new highways were created and old highways gifted to councils.
But doing that with the gorge highway was more complicated, Downs said.
The highway and associated land currently owned by Waka Kotahi would go back to the Crown, likely through Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand.
Waka Kotahi would, however, give a list of recommendations to the Crown about what should happen with the highway, Downs said.
Waka Kotahi had been meeting with various parties about the future of the road, including iwi, Palmerston North City and Tararua District councils and the Department of Conservation, and shared the findings with them on Thursday afternoon.
Many of those parties are part of the Te Āpiti governance group, which works to improve the gorge and surrounding area.
The group released its plan on Thursday for the future of the area, although those involved in the group were not aware of the new geotechnical information beforehand.
The plan included 11 proposed projects, including new recreational tracks and suspension bridges, alongside a desire to have the former highway turned into a walkway, with a bridge at the eastern end across the Manawatū River.