The escarpment section of Hillcrest Road between George Street and Seaview Road will be closed to traffic from 9:00am to 4:30pm on weekdays between 2 April 2013 and 8 April. Motorists who normally travel to and from the Whakatāne central business district on Hillcrest Road are advised to use Gorge Road as an alternative route during those hours.

The closure is due to major stormwater improvement works which will see the installation of a ‘dish channel’ drain at the base of the escarpment, along with the installation of stormwater catchpits in the Seaview Road area, to address the flooding issues which have affected some George Street properties during heavy rainfall events.

Whakatāne District Council Manager Transport, Martin Taylor, says the closure times will accommodate commuter traffic to and from the CBD area before and after normal business hours. “The daytime closures are necessary to carry out road reconstruction and drainage improvement works,” he says.

Road closure signs will be put in place at the Seaview Road Lookout, at the bottom of Hillcrest Road and at the Hillcrest Road/Gorge Road/Ohope Road intersection on the days that access will be affected. Outside the road closure hours, traffic may be reduced to one lane, with a portable traffic light system in operation.

Mr Taylor says the Council appreciates that the road closures will cause some inconvenience, particularly for people living in the Hillcrest area. “The Council and the contractor involved, Waiotahi Contractors Limited, apologise for any inconvenience caused by these works and will ensure that access is reinstated as quickly as possible.”