Local landowners say a temporary bypass road built for East Coast’s State Highway 35 is “rundown” because of the lack of maintenance by the district council.
They say it is also causing dust issues for whānau, workers and livestock.
However, Gisborne District Council says regular maintenance is carried out on the bypass, and the funding it receives from New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) is “not enough to fix all roads across the network”.
The 2.2km bypass is the only SH35 access for heavy vehicles since Cyclone Gabrielle wiped out the Hikuwai Bridge No 1 north of the East Coast town of Tolaga Bay in 2023.
Māori land group Pourau Incorporation wanted the district council to create a regular maintenance programme to help fix potholes and other issues with the road.
The group says maintenance is infrequent – often only occurring after a weather event or service requests – and was causing health and safety risks and increased maintenance for vehicle operators.
“The bypass is free and provides important economic connectivity for primary industry,” Pourau Incorporation chair Philip Hope told Local Democracy Reporting.
“It appears some of the decision-makers at Gisborne District Council do not value the role of primary industry on the East Coast.”
The Pourau Rd bypass was a complex and urgent build following the destruction of Hikuwai Bridge No 1 in Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023.
It remains the only SH35 access route for heavy vehicles over 50 tonnes until the Hikuwai Bridge is rebuilt, which is expected by the end of 2026.
The bypass project was undertaken by Pourau Incorporation, in partnership with Kuru Contracting, and is on the incorporation’s land.
Hope said the incorporation wanted to support coastal communities and the primary industry, and would continue to keep Pourau Rd open.
However, Hope said the road was “rundown” because of infrequent maintenance work by the council.
Drains, culverts and cattle stops were blocked, and potholes were growing in size.
“Aside from installing laneway fences, cattle stops, culverts, upgrading the yards, and erosion control above and below the bypass, the maintenance needs for infrastructure and this road are ongoing,” Hope said.
Pourau Incorporation land is a Māori land incorporation of the Potae Estate, which holds 1462ha between five whenua blocks between north Mangatuna and Tokomaru Bay.
Hope said NZTA provided funding to the council for road maintenance.
“It is for this reason we’ve been asking Gisborne District Council colleagues for some time to meet with us at Pourau Rd so together we can assess, review and agree on a progressive maintenance programme, including the frequency of maintenance work needed for the duration of the Hikuwai Bridge build.”
Dust had also been an ongoing issue. Mitigation was a requirement of the resource consent conditions for the Hikuwai Bridge rebuild being undertaken by the Transport Rebuild East Coast alliance, he said.
Hope said he had been in contact with the alliance last week about dust mitigation and they were pleased with the plans about to be put in place.
However, he questioned who at the council was responsible for ensuring compliance with consent decisions.
The severe dust was a health risk to whānau working at the wharenui above the road, as well as kaimahi (staff) on the farm, and also posed a significant health risk to livestock, Hope said.
Council journeys infrastructure manager Dave Hadfield said the council had completed regular maintenance of the road just last month, including grading, pothole repairs and site rail repairs.
“The funding council receives for maintenance is not enough to fix all roads across the network,” he said.
Hadfield said they were in contact with Pourau Incorporation and were keen to work with them on the future of the road when the bridge was reinstated in 2026.
Hadfield said the dust mitigation issue was a requirement of the resource consent for the Hikuwai Bridge construction being undertaken by the Transport Rebuild East Coast alliance.
The consent holder was responsible for ensuring compliance with consent conditions. The council’s compliance team monitored breaches or non-compliance with consents, he said.
“Trec have advised Pourau [Inc] and council [that] they will be undertaking work to address dust issues in the next few days.”
The 2.2km bypass opened in March 2023 and became the main state highway for four months following the cyclone.
A temporary Bailey bridge for lighter vehicles was installed at the site and will be in operation until the new bridge is opened.
– Local Democracy Reporting is local-body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
