Tauranga City Council is set to complete the final stage of repairs to the slip below Ōropi Rd this week.

Overnight resurfacing is scheduled for Wednesday, August 19, weather permitting.

In a media release, council said the resurfacing marks the final step in an eight-week project to stabilise the slip site and strengthen the key transport route for the long term.

To allow the work to be carried out safely, the Ōropi-bound (southbound) lane between Maleme St and the SH29A roundabout will be closed from 7pm on Wednesday until 6am on Thursday. Northbound traffic will remain open.

Southbound motorists travelling towards Ōropi will be detoured via Chadwick Rd or Maleme St and Cameron Rd, following the same route used during the project’s first phase.

Work is continuing to complete the road foundations and install a new kerb and gutter before the final resurfacing.

Transport system operations manager Shawn Geard said the overnight closure would allow crews to complete the final section of resurfacing and line marking before fully reopening the road.

“We’re pleased to be reaching the finish line on this project earlier than originally planned. The final resurfacing works will complete the repair and leave the site in a much stronger position to withstand future weather events,” Geard said.

“We know the traffic management requirements, particularly during the school holidays when the project first got underway, created some disruption for people travelling through the area. We’d like to sincerely thank residents, motorists and businesses for their patience and understanding throughout the works.”

Once resurfacing is complete, road markings have been reinstated and a new safety guardrail installed, the project will be finished.

Since construction began in early July, crews have completed a significant package of work aimed at improving the resilience of the road corridor.

A key feature of the project is a 60m-long, 6m-high rock wall built using about 2500 tonnes of rock to protect the bank and roadway from future erosion.

Final resurfacing work on Ōropi Rd is scheduled for August 19, marking the last stage of an eight-week project that includes a 60m-long rock wall designed to protect the road from future erosion. Photo / Tauranga City Council

Additional work has included drainage improvements, utility and service installations, a new safety barrier, road foundation reconstruction and resurfacing.

Geard said close collaboration between contractor Fulton Hogan, subcontractor James Lux Developments and council teams helped deliver the project despite challenging construction conditions.

The work involved building part of the retaining wall below the waterline, working around tidal conditions, protecting essential water pipes beneath the road and meeting environmental and safety requirements.

Favourable weather and efficient construction progress enabled the project to be completed sooner than expected, while revised traffic management arrangements helped minimise disruption during the second phase of works.