New seal was laid in the Manuka Gorge yesterday after contractors finished rebuilding the gabion wall in the Manuka Creek which supports State Highway 8, near Lawrence.
New Zealand Transport Agency coastal Otago area manager Roger Bailey said there had been a risk of the old wall falling into the creek and the whole road collapsing.
The repaired gabion (caged rock) wall and road should last for another 50 years, he said.
The job cost $200,000 and took three months to complete, which was a bit longer than anticipated.
The ground under the road was different from what contractors had been expecting, a period of heavy rain in April flooded the creek, washing away water diversions, and there were issues with vandalism, Mr Bailey said.
Traffic lights had been damaged and barriers were thrown into the stream, which was "quite expensive and very annoying", he said.
Mr Bailey said laying down new seal in winter and in a shaded area of road was not ideal, and the traffic lights would be left in place for a couple of days to slow traffic and protect the road surface while the new seal cured.
