August 22, 2023
SH35 slips highlight slash peril
One lane of state highway 35 between Ōpōtiki and the Motu River bridge has been reopened after contractors for Waka Kotahi partially cleared a large slip.
Heavy rains over the weekend triggered a number of slips and brought down trees onto the road, cutting off communities and stranding travellers.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says it highlights the problems identified in the Hekia Parata-led forestry slash inquiry, which the Government is acting on.
“This problem’s built up over many years and we are now seeing the outcome with more extreme weather we are seeing on the coast so we do need to make sure we are fast tracking the work to get the solutions in place as quickly as possible – bearing in mind some of that slash has been sitting on those hillsides for some time now,” he says.