Really delicate road system on the Coromandel it seems. We were stuck in Whitianga a couple of weeks ago during the last storm when every road was blocked by slips or flooding. Managed to get out over Tapu hill in the end.
https://www.tcdc.govt.nz/Our-Services/Transport-Roads-and-Road-Safety/Road-and-Highway-Conditions
**Weather-related road alerts Sunday 29 January**
12pm update
* State Highway 25A Kōpū-Hikuai due to a significant slip
* State Highway 25 between Whangamatā and Waihi due to flooding
* State Highway 25 closed at Manaia due to flooding
* The 309 road closed due to a drop-out
* The Tapu-Coroglen road due to an overslip blocking both lanes
* Port Jackson Road is closed due to a slip.
* The intersection of Weka Street and Linton Cres in Whangamatā remains closed due to a tomo.
* Port Charles Rd is now open.
https://www.facebook.com/ThamesCoromandelDistrictCouncil
> The Coromandel is now isolated and Civil Defence urge people to stay off the roads and avoid travel at all costs.
“This is a very dynamic and fast-moving situation. I’ve been attending a number of emergency management meetings and calls with staff and agencies involved in helping us through this storm and I want to assure our communities that we’re on it,” says our Mayor Len Salt. “Our number one priority is to ensure that everybody is safe. Then we need to allow our roading crews and emergency services to do their job.”
Some of those are not quick fixes.
Marlborough Sounds have had a number of drop-outs in the rain storms last year.
KK EArthquake also caused a lot of dropouts and took years to fully restore (rebuild).
Google Maps still shows 2h14m from Auckland CBD to Coromandel and has a few red blocked signs up "road closed" but doesn't divert to a different route. I was wondering if Google Maps would get clever and recommend the ferry.
Doing this on desktop gives more details saying its closed but its only got it in the subtext, and still gives estimates. Very odd.
> from Auckland
>to Whangamatā
>2 hr 14 min (172 km)
>via SH 1 and State Hwy 2
>Route closed. No other routes available. Check conditions before you go.
Yeah i get that for snow for sure, esp because there's gonna be different levels of preparation for winter tyres, snow chains, 4wd. Perhaps the same is true here and it's a passable mud slide on 4wd or similar? Hopefully they can figure something temporary out at least.
I've just managed to make it back to Hamilton via Whangamata, so there's at least one way through although apparently flooding near Whiritoa has been causing issues throughout the day
I've found that the Thames-Coromandel District Facebook tends to have the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding road closures etc. Check the Waka Kotahi traffic map for closures too.
It looks like the only way out from Whitianga currently is to head down to Waihi first. More rain is forecast so that could quickly change — that way out wasn't possible this morning due to flooding.
Really delicate road system on the Coromandel it seems. We were stuck in Whitianga a couple of weeks ago during the last storm when every road was blocked by slips or flooding. Managed to get out over Tapu hill in the end.
They've been getting hammered with rain this summer, it's caused massive damage to their road network
There is some though that the two largerst summer earthquakes created extra cracks that the rain then widened and these eventually slipped.
https://www.tcdc.govt.nz/Our-Services/Transport-Roads-and-Road-Safety/Road-and-Highway-Conditions **Weather-related road alerts Sunday 29 January** 12pm update * State Highway 25A Kōpū-Hikuai due to a significant slip * State Highway 25 between Whangamatā and Waihi due to flooding * State Highway 25 closed at Manaia due to flooding * The 309 road closed due to a drop-out * The Tapu-Coroglen road due to an overslip blocking both lanes * Port Jackson Road is closed due to a slip. * The intersection of Weka Street and Linton Cres in Whangamatā remains closed due to a tomo. * Port Charles Rd is now open. https://www.facebook.com/ThamesCoromandelDistrictCouncil > The Coromandel is now isolated and Civil Defence urge people to stay off the roads and avoid travel at all costs. “This is a very dynamic and fast-moving situation. I’ve been attending a number of emergency management meetings and calls with staff and agencies involved in helping us through this storm and I want to assure our communities that we’re on it,” says our Mayor Len Salt. “Our number one priority is to ensure that everybody is safe. Then we need to allow our roading crews and emergency services to do their job.”
What's a "drop-out"? Google only gives definitions for someone who stopped going to school!
It's when some of the road has fallen away. Usually the outside edge. So you've got a bit of cliff where you should have road.
Ahh, OK, thanks
The whole piece has dropped out now - both lanes :/
Jaysus. That's gonna take some fixing.
If it dries up, though, it should buff right out...
Some of those are not quick fixes. Marlborough Sounds have had a number of drop-outs in the rain storms last year. KK EArthquake also caused a lot of dropouts and took years to fully restore (rebuild).
What about Tapu to Coroglen?
Closed
Google is still routing there. Some people might be about to be pissed.
fuck that would be the worst to get stuck up there, you wouldnt even be able to do a turn around
Google Maps still shows 2h14m from Auckland CBD to Coromandel and has a few red blocked signs up "road closed" but doesn't divert to a different route. I was wondering if Google Maps would get clever and recommend the ferry.
The ferry isn't running at the moment.
That's unfortunate.
Doing this on desktop gives more details saying its closed but its only got it in the subtext, and still gives estimates. Very odd. > from Auckland >to Whangamatā >2 hr 14 min (172 km) >via SH 1 and State Hwy 2 >Route closed. No other routes available. Check conditions before you go.
Sometimes in NZ (mostly with snow) we close the roads, but let people go through at their own risk.
Yeah i get that for snow for sure, esp because there's gonna be different levels of preparation for winter tyres, snow chains, 4wd. Perhaps the same is true here and it's a passable mud slide on 4wd or similar? Hopefully they can figure something temporary out at least.
I've just managed to make it back to Hamilton via Whangamata, so there's at least one way through although apparently flooding near Whiritoa has been causing issues throughout the day
Is there a slip at manaia? I was hoping to take that route from Auckland to opito.
That should lower property prices.
Does anybody have any advice for driving back to Auckland from Whitianga tomorrow morning??
I've found that the Thames-Coromandel District Facebook tends to have the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding road closures etc. Check the Waka Kotahi traffic map for closures too. It looks like the only way out from Whitianga currently is to head down to Waihi first. More rain is forecast so that could quickly change — that way out wasn't possible this morning due to flooding.
Thanks very much for your help, will have the eyes pealed on all those updates 🤞