Partial re-opening of the Brynderwyns has seen a drop in the number of heavy vehicles using the Paparoa-Oakleigh Road, providing much-needed relief to residents along the detour route.

Waka Kotahi re-opened State Highway 1 at
Brynderwyns to northbound traffic only on Wednesday morning while contractors and geotechnical engineers remain on-site to actively monitor any additional slips or ground movement.

A range of light and heavy vehicles have driven through the northbound lane at the Brynderwyns since Wednesday morning without any issues, Waka Kotahi said.

The lane is open to all vehicles excluding those carrying over-dimensional loads.

“It is also an active worksite as our crews continue to work throughout the day. We’re urging motorists to drive with caution and to the conditions as our workers remain on the ground next to live traffic.”

Waka Kotahi is aiming to have the Brynderwyns fully re-opened by the end of the month, subject to weather and the safety of workers, and the southbound lane once the underslip has been fixed.

In the meantime, southbound vehicles will have to continue along SH12, SH14 and the Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd.

A number of travellers on the Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd have regularly vented their frustration at the sight of fully laden logging trucks, milk tankers, campervans and stock trucks using the route to get to and from Whangārei.

The Northland Transportation Alliance said heavy vehicles under 50 tonnes could travel on the Oakleigh-Paparoa Rd as the road was deemed safe and provided a critical link for essential service delivery to the region.

Artist Mishka Patterson runs the Glass Plus Leadlights on Mangapai Rd in Oakleigh and hopes the Brynderwyns is fully re-opened, saying traffic on the Oakleigh-Paparoa Rd has been “quite heavy” the past few weeks.

“The trucks keep hitting a bump on a stretch of road and making noise. We are down a driveway, so the noise is not that bad, but there’s been quite heavy traffic. It’s the heaviest around midday.”

Alan Broadbent is finishing up his house on Mangapai Rd after moving from Kerikeri said it seemed the partial re-opening of the Brynderwyns has contributed to less traffic volume on the Paparoa-Oakleigh Rd.

“Sometimes traffic back up to the Whangārei end but it’s not too bad. We realise this route is used as a solution and it won’t be used forever.”

Whangārei mayor Vince Cocurullo said the partial re-opening of the Brynderwyns has relieved a lot of pressure on Paparoa Oakleigh detour route.

“Oakleigh Paparoa was a last-resort road and now that Brynderwyns is open for northbound traffic, it will allow maintenance teams to do work on the Oakleigh Paparoa road. NZTA is aiming to get the Brynderwyns fully open in the next three weeks.”

Cocurullo said apart from the heavy Easter traffic, kiwifruit picking would start in the next two months and it was important for Brynderwyns to be fully opened.

A Paparoa resident who travels the route twice a week says the road is getting “absolutely trashed”. “A blind person could see the deterioration through feeling the countless potholes and subsidence stress holes forming.

“The 70km/h signs mean nothing. Those heavy trucks go through at 90 plus everywhere they can. I’m not against milk tankers and emergency service heavy vehicles using it, Fonterra drivers are all class and courtesy, but this needs to be patrolled heavily by police truck units which isn’t happening.”

The Paparoa Oakleigh Rd that links up with State Highway 12 in Kaipara and SH1 in Whangārei was initially announced as a detour route for light vehicles only, with a 70km/h speed restriction, while heavy vehicles were advised to use SH14 and SH12.