Significant safety risks on Herepuru Rd have led Whakatāne District Council to install a gate at the Pikowai Beach end of the slip-prone road.

A major slip blocked the bluff section of the road on February 5, with the council taking almost three weeks to reopen it to one lane. The road was only opened to heavy traffic on March 10.

A heavy rain warning prompted the council to install the gate on Wednesday last week.

The gate was closed on Thursday, March 26, around noon as a precautionary measure to keep road users safe from further slips.

Two slips occurred on the road on Friday, March 27; the second happening while council workers were on site.

Transportation manager Ann-Elise Reynolds said the decision to close the road during heavy rain was made on the advice of independent geotechnical engineers who reviewed the February slip.

“While their assessment confirmed the road could reopen following the slip remediation works, they also recommended that precautionary closures be put in place during future heavy rain events because of the increased risk of significant, high-consequence slips at this specific location.

“The council has a legal duty to take all practicable steps to keep road users and staff safe,” she said.

“These closures are not just about being cautious, they are about meeting our duty of care and preventing serious harm.”

Another slip on Manawahē Rd, during the same weather event, temporarily blocked access to and from homes for residents from both ends of the road. However, this slip was cleared swiftly.

Reynolds said the bluff section of Herepuru Rd was subject to two significant risks in the same location.

“One is the potential for further material to fall from the bluff above the road, particularly while the ground remains fresh and unsettled following recent slips. The second is an area of weakened ground beneath the road that has been closely monitored since the February slip,” she said.

Council staff inspected the site on Saturday morning and found no cracking in the road surface.

However, with further heavy rain forecast for Sunday night, the decision was made to keep the road closed until conditions stabilised.

A further inspection and monitoring check on Monday morning confirmed no additional movement, and the road was reopened at 11am.

It is not the first time a gate has been used on Herepuru Rd. A similar approach was put in place about 10 years ago, when there was an increased risk of slips in the same area.

This is the only road in the Whakatāne district with gates installed for weather‑related closures, though similar measures are used elsewhere in New Zealand, including on State Highway 1 through the Desert Rd.

Reynolds said the council had no plans to install gates on any other local roads to manage weather-related closures.

“While many roads in the district experience slips during heavy rain, the key difference at Herepuru Rd is that the risk is concentrated at one specific location, with potentially serious consequences if a significant slip occurs.”

The council has an email distribution list for Herepuru Rd residents who wish to be kept informed of precautionary closures. Those wishing to be included on the list can email [email protected].

– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.