Work on removing Kawakawa Bay landslip to begin tomorrow
Work will begin tomorrow to prepare the Kawakawa Bay landslip site for removing 2000 cubic metres of earth above the road.
In the middle of the next week a helicopter with a 1300 litre monsoon bucket will begin dropping water on the top of the hill and bring the unstable earth down.
Tomorrow contractors will begin putting in place barriers that will help contain the material brought down from the landslip.
Manukau City Council Organisational Performance Director Robyn McCulloch says the aim is to reopen a single lane of the road at the beginning of October.
“Bringing down the unstable earth from the part of the landslip above the road should reduce the risk so the road can be reopened.
“Since the road closed a lot of work has been happening to make sure it can reopen once the risk is removed. This is the first time geotechnical experts have given us the all-clear for workers to be on the road clearing slip material.
“More than 100 truckloads of unstable earth have to come down from above the road. It’s difficult to predict how long this and trucking away the material will take, but the council wants the road open by the start of October.
“Every day the road is closed it is a problem for the community, so we know they will be glad work has started to get it open,” Ms McCulloch says.
The reopened road would initially only be single lane and controlled to ensure public safety. However work will continue to permanently remove the risk from the landslip and fully reopen the road along its current route.
Meanwhile at the bottom of the larger landslip, which is threatening five properties, drilling will begin on Monday to allow water to be drained from the earth. This is the start of work to stabilise this area.
The landslip is an area of approximately 200,000 cubic metres, part of it is an area of about 2000 cubic metres of unstable land above the road.
Transport alternatives
Four wheel drive shuttle:
The four wheel drive shuttle will now be operating on Saturdays from 6am to 8am and 5pm to 7pm. During the week it runs from 6am-9.30am and 2.30pm-6pm. The track is only for the licensed operators and for their own safety no pedestrians should walk on it.
Orere Point to Kawakawa Bay shuttle:
This will begin on Monday to make it easier for Orere Point residents to get to the ferry and access behind Turei Hill.
6.30am from the library to Kawakawa Bay.
6.15pm pick up ferry passengers from Kawakawa Bay Boating Club.
6.30pm pick up from bottom of Turei Hill.
Ferry:
The free ferry service will continue beyond next week and the Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) is helping Manukau City Council to provide it. Two weeks notice will be given if there is any change to this service.
Ferry sailings:
6.15am - Pine Harbour Marina to Kawakawa Bay Boating Club
7am - Kawakawa Boating Club to Pine Harbour Marina.
5.40pm (Mon – Thurs)/ 6.40pm (Friday) - Pine Harbour Marina to Kawakawa Bay Boating Club.
6.15pm (Mon – Thurs)/ 7.15pm (Friday) - Kawakawa Boating Club to Pine Harbour Marina.
Other transport alternatives in place are a walking track and four wheel drive shuttle service behind the landslip, two shoppers buses each week to Thames and Papakura, and school bus for Clevedon students temporarily attending to Orere School.
Regular updates and details of alternative transport options are available through the council call centre (phone 262 5104) and at www.manukau.govt.nz.