Ruapehu District Council has estimated it will take several years to complete its multi-million-dollar road network repair programme, after severe weather events in June, July and October caused widespread damage.
Damage ranges from minor surface issues through to major slips and road dropouts, with some areas having been temporarily isolated.
Council Land Transport Manager, Jodeci Waru-Savage said the three events caused estimated damages of between $10 to $14 million across around 1,000 sites throughout the district.
“Our contractors and local communities did an outstanding job restoring access and addressing safety issues in the immediate aftermath of the October event,” Mr Waru-Savage said.
“Many sites remain vulnerable however and full reinstatement is now underway to restore long-term resilience and reliability.”
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s emergency funding arrangements allow Council to prioritise urgent remedial works, but permanent repairs often require full engineering assessments and detailed costings, he said.
“These processes take time, and we appreciate people’s patience as we work through the necessary steps to ensure repairs are done properly and at the lowest possible cost to ratepayers,” Mr Waru-Savage said.
To accelerate repairs during the limited summer construction season, additional contractors are being engaged in support of Council’s main contractor Inframax to maximise progress across the district.
The Councils says sites are being grouped into logical work packages based on location, type of repair and contractor expertise to improve efficiency, reduce traffic management costs and ensure the right contractors are matched to the right work.
It said ratepayers are benefiting from NZTA emergency works funding, which significantly reduces Council’s share of repair costs.
The June and July events alone caused around $4.2 million in emergency works damage, with Council’s share estimated at around $1.2 million, spread across the current 2025/26 and next 2026/27 financial year.
Under normal conditions, NZTA funds 75% of eligible roading costs. When emergency works exceed 10% of Council’s annual land transport operational budget, the Funding Assistance Rate increases to 95%, with ratepayers contributing just 5%.
A handful of sites from the August 2024 weather event and around 75% of the June and July emergency works are expected to be completed this financial year, with the remainder finished in 2026/27, Council said.
The October weather event generated more than 350 callouts and caused substantial damage on over 30 roads.
Early estimates indicate between $8 million and $10 million will be required to repair around 420 sites, with works expected to take two to three years depending on contractor availability, design requirements, and the weather.
Some sites are expected to take more than a week to repair. At these site motorists can expect to encounter stop/go controls or diversions.
The affected roads include: Kururau Road, Makokomiko Road, Ohura–Mokau Road, Ohura Road, Oio Road, Okahukura Bridge Road, Otunui South Road, Pukeatua Road, Saddler Road, Taringamotu Road, Uepango Road, Viles Access Road, and Whanganui River Road.
Over summer Council is asking drivers to slow down, take extra care, and follow all instructions at work sites to help keep crews and road users safe.
