UPDATE 6.16PM: Oropi Road will remain closed overnight due to a large sink hole that has formed at the edge of the southbound lane.
A police spokesperson says contractors are scheduled to repair the road tomorrow morning so it will still be closed for most part of the day.
"Police advise motorists to use the diversion in place via Cheyne Rd and Oropi Gorge Rd."
UPDATE 5:18PM: Senior Sergeant Shannon Clifford is urging residents to avoid Oropi Road after a sink hole opened up just before the bridge.
"The bridge will remain closed for some time."
Shannon says as rain is due to set in, it may cause further issues with the sinkhole.
An engineer is shortly to inspect the bridge.
A caller to the 0800 SUNLIVE hotline says traffic management have taken over the closure and multiple people can be seen inspecting the damage.
The Tauranga City Council have released a statement saying the sink hole is approximately 1.5 metres wide and four metres deep.
UPDATE 3.57PM: Oropi Road has been closed following a sink hole that has opened up just before the bridge, opposite the Golf and Mini Putt park.
A police spokesperson says the large hole has formed at the edge of the southbound lane.
"The whole road will be closed for the foreseeable future as council engineers assess the hole.
"Police advise motorists to use the diversion in place via Cheyne Rd and Oropi Gorge Rd."
Image: Supplied.
EARLIER:
A sink hole has formed on Oropi Road this afternoon.
A caller to the 0800 SUNLIVE news hotline says there is a large hole in the road, just before the bridge, opposite the Golf and Mini Putt park.
"Police are here and it looks like they might be shutting down the road."
Motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible or use Cheyne Road as an alternative route.
Image: Daniel Hines/SunLive.
Image: Daniel Hines/SunLive.
Image: Daniel Hines/SunLive.
Image: Supplied.
Image: Daniel Hines/SunLive.
5 comments
Closing the road
Posted on 31-07-2019 17:33 | By Angel74
will put stress on other roads, travel time for commuters will increase businesses will be affected and alot of people will be ticked off.
closed
Posted on 31-07-2019 18:33 | By dumbkof2
Yes it will be closed for at least 6 months while they call in the experts at a cost of thousands of dollars. Then there will be all the conservation reports and enviromental impact reports and consulting with all the coulturol groups
Just fix it
Posted on 31-07-2019 19:35 | By First Responder
Back between 1939 and 1945 (and for years after), engineers drove bulldozers and motor scrapers, (without cell phones) and fixed bomb craters in moments. Tanks and planes continued to operate unimpeded. These days engineers work in offices (believe me, there's sky scrapers full of them) with consultants, environmentalists, and geologists, producing plans and calculations, involving MPs, safety consultants, traffic management, accountants and osteologists. Meanwhile the poor people of Oropi are inconvenienced, having to travel miles through a goat track. At least with the increased traffic volume through the gorge, (and Labour at the helm) it will now qualify for a wire rope medium barrier. Bring back the good old days.
Don’t worry
Posted on 31-07-2019 20:43 | By Slim Shady
This Council will just pour money down it.
Why not....
Posted on 01-08-2019 10:10 | By GreertonBoy
Lay a concrete slab over that section of road (like a short piece of freeway)... it will be fixed in 3 weeks... Surely if some reo was poked down the hole, then back a concrete truck up to the hole, then bolt a plate over it (with a vehicle weight limit on the road) would make a temporary repair to keep the road open for the locals and stress the 'detour roads' less.... while the propeller heads decide how much money they can make themselves by fixing it properly? It will be a nightmare for locals just to close it for 6 months!
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