The SH2 Matahorua Gorge project involves replacing the current winding road through Matahorua Gorge with a new, straighter piece of state highway.
State Highway 2 traverses the Hawke’s Bay region and Matahorua Gorge lies approximately 50 km from Napier and 66 km from Wairoa.
The 3.1 km alignment includes construction of a 137 m viaduct across the gorge and a road over rail bridge. The realignment will pass over the top of the gorge, avoiding the narrow, sharp twists and turns of the existing route.
Features
- 3.1 km realignment of State Highway 2 through Matahorua Gorge
- Includes construction of two new bridges
The Gorge Bridge
- 137m long with three spans
- Twin steel beams support a concrete deck
- Four steel piers have been embedded into the rock on the upper slopes of the gorge to hold the bridge deck
Rail bridge
- Will take cars safely across the rail line below
- 37.4 m long
- Constructed mostly of pre-cast concrete
Benefits
- Shortens the route by 1.4 km
- Straighter and wider to give better visibility and driver safety
- Fewer accidents on the new route will reduce delays and provide more reliable travel times for industry, residents and travellers
Environment
- A comprehensive environmental plan is in place to manage the construction effects on the surrounding environment
- This includes managing the effects of noise, earthworks and construction run off
- Silt ponds throughout the construction site collect and filter run-off before it is released
- Earthworks take place only in the summer months to minimise erosion and disruption
- No major work takes place at night to minimise noise disruption for nearby neighbours
