State Highway 2 through the Waioweka Gorge is open today.

The highway was closed yesterday as heavy rain hit the eastern Bay of Plenty.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said the closure followed the extension of MetService’s orange heavy rain warning through to 6pm last night.

The agency confirmed the road had reopened after an inspection at first light today.

The agency said weather would continue to be a challenge while it works through the next phase of the recovery works.

Upcoming night closures

Night closures would begin this weekend as critical work starts to stabilise the Goldsmith Slip in the gorge, NZTA said.

Night closures and daytime stop/go traffic management are needed, so a large crane can drill and instal a rockfall barrier.

The gorge would close , from 9pm to 5am on June 6, so crews can begin initial drilling and investigation work.

A one-hour window from 1am to 2am will allow freight through.

From Sunday, June 21, there would be further closures for 10 nights, from 9pm to 5am, as installation continues. 

Work would take place Sunday to Thursday, with no work on Friday or Saturday nights.

A one-hour window from 1am to 2am will again allow freight through.

From early July, installation of the steel barrier net will begin during the day, with stop/go traffic management in place at the Goldsmith Slip.

NZTA said other recovery work would continue throughout the gorge under stop/go traffic management.

“When material falls, the net slows it down and guides it to the bottom of the slope, where it is safely contained behind a fence and concrete barrier.

“A rockfall attenuator is a common treatment for slips like the one at Goldsmith and provides a near-permanent solution at the site.”

Once the net is  installed, NZTA said two-way traffic would be able to resume at the slip site, and the gorge should require fewer proactive closures than it has since January.