Work on Marlborough District Council’s intensive roads recovery programme is back on track, after being paused over the festive season.
Across the Marlborough Sounds, crews returned to sites in French Pass, Kenepuru, Port Underwood and Queen Charlotte Drive in January, working under stop/go traffic management.
On Kenepuru Road, road closures resume on week days from Monday 9 February, for approximately 11km between Willow Bay and the Water Tank Slip at the following times:
- Monday to Thursday 9.30am to 12pm, 12.30pm to 3pm and 3.05pm to 5pm;
- Friday from 9.30am to 12pm, 12.30pm to 3pm.
Closures will also resume on Archers Road in Tennyson Inlet from 9 February to complete a retaining wall that was started last year.
“The end of 2025 saw several milestones completed, including two complex sites on Kenepuru Road at Portage Heights and Island Point. Both sites required the construction of multiple retaining walls, culvert installations and replacements, along with other drainage improvements and pavement reinstatement,” said Council Roads Recovery Manager, Steve Murrin.
“On Port Underwood Road above the Whatamango Bay campground, a road retreat was finished just before Labour Weekend. The site needed more than 4000 cubic metres of material to be removed to return the road to two lanes.
“Another milestone in 2025 was the stabilising of a significant slip near the start of Northbank Road, following the June/July weather event. Closures resumed on Northbank Road in January, 17km from the start of the road to clear a second large slip site. Excavation is being undertaken from the top of the cliff face,” Mr Murrin said.
Elsewhere on the network, works have started on the Molesworth end of Awatere Valley Road for multiple culvert replacements.
To view details of all planned road closures, visit the CDEM map on Council’s website at www.marlborough.govt.nz.


