Following consultation with NZTA, further options are being explored for Otanga Road, north of Dannevirke, in an effort to find the right solution at the right price. The road has well known land movement instability. The Taraua Alliance is working towards an alternative solution that would enable Otanga Road to be reopened. The level of service of the road is yet to be confirmed, as large-scale land movement is expected to continue to deteriorate the site into the future.

Geotechnical investigations are being carried out upstream of the previous culvert to see if a more stable platform can be found for building a new structure (whether that is a bridge or some kind of culvert).

To another site that’s been in the news lately, procurement is progressing for a bridge solution at the end of Rakaiatai Road, where a bridge was washed away by Cyclone Gabrielle.

The Tararua Alliance is procuring a Design/Build bridging contractor to develop the final options for replacement, with the view to select of a preferred option in April 2024.