Local leaders are demanding urgent action from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) due to repeated closures of State Highway 3. These closures are impacting regional businesses and connectivity. The current closure occurred on April 18, 2026, after a massive slip in the Awakino Gorge.
The road will not reopen until May 2, 2026, at the earliest. This marks the seventh closure of the gorge due to weather-related incidents in the past year. Local government leaders are expressing frustration and calling for a meeting with NZTA CEO Brett Gliddon.
Max Brough, a regional mayor, stated, “Given the scale of the impact and the level of concern across the region, the Mayors and Chairs collectively consider it critical that this discussion takes place as a matter of priority.” His remarks highlight the urgency felt by local officials.
John Robertson added, “The impact’s huge. The impact for New Plymouth businesses, there’s a lot of trucks that go, if you like, Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth.” This underscores how vital State Highway 3 is for transport and commerce in the region.
NZTA is currently working to clear between 12,000 and 16,000 cubic meters of material from the slip site. However, no timeline has been shared regarding when this work will be completed.
Brough also noted that these issues are not new. He emphasized that ongoing disruptions reinforce the need for urgent collective action. “These issues are not new and the ongoing disruptions reinforce the need for urgent collective action,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nic Phillips described the situation as terrible: “It’s a terrible situation that we’re in.” Local leaders are seeking solutions to ensure better resilience against future weather-related incidents.
The work on Mount Messenger is a separate $800 million investment by the Crown but does not address immediate concerns regarding State Highway 3 closures.
