Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has dismissed claims last Thursday’s kilometre-long slip that closed the highway to Haast could have been cleared much sooner, following the agency’s decision to open the road to escorted convoys yesterday.
Speaking to the Otago Daily Times earlier this week, Haast tourism operator Dr Gerry McSweeney said contractors he had talked to on the West Coast believed they could have cleared the 20,000cu m of slip material at Muddy Creek within 24 hours.
A spokesperson for Waka Kotahi dismissed claims the work could have been completed within that time.
"We would like to hear from those people directly," they said.
"The slip was a kilometre long and up to four metres thick in some places. It is not soft and slushy — it had solidified into something like concrete with the snow at the end of last week and the weight of all the material compressing it along its length."
The spokesperson said contractors from the West Coast had finished work on Saturday only after filling their stockpile area — a site that must be approved by the Department of Conservation.
"The work from that point on, much closer to and around the bridge itself, meant machinery and trucks ferrying material away would be more restricted and could be managed fully by the Otago Fulton Hogan crews, Aspiring Highways."
When it came to communication about the slip, the spokesperson said the agency had a list of local stakeholders, which included hospitality providers, who were copied into regular email updates.
"We have endeavoured to keep people as updated as our information enabled us to."
Yesterday, Waka Kotahi began escorted convoys of light vehicles to the cut off West Coast as preparations continue there for Haast’s annual whitebait festival at the weekend.
Yesterday’s noon journey saw 80 vehicles heading towards Wānaka, while 68 made the trip towards Haast.
Waka Kotahi Southland and Otago system manager Robert Choveaux said vehicles weighing over five tonnes would be able to join the convoys from today.
As work continues to clear the slip, travel from today until at least the end of the week will be via escorted convoy with trips planned for 8am, noon and 4:30pm each day going both ways.
