Coromandel MP Scott Simpson says he is "thrilled" to see the reopening of State Highway 25A inching closer.

Visting the site last week, Simpson says progress it happening at pace "at last".

“I’ve been critical of the slow decision making in getting work underway, but now that it is finally in progress, I was pleased to see the work being done by a big team of contractors.

"Many of the people working on the site are not locals and they are being accommodated in Thames and nearby as work continues over the next several months.

Coromandel MP Scott Simpson. Photo: Supplied.

“It’s a big job for sure and I got a sense that everyone involved was determined to get the road re-opened as soon as possible.

“Every day the road remains closed, our region bleeds. It’s not just the physical scale of the repair work but also the emotional and financial damage that needs to be considered as well.

“Not a day goes by that the people of the Coromandel aren’t affected by the continued closure of this crucial transport route. It’s essential that we get SH25A back up and running as soon as possible.

“While visiting the dropout site on SH25A, I was impressed by the activity and expertise displayed by those on the ground. After months of uncertainty, residents and visitors can be assured that progress is being made.”

For some with homes on the eastern side, fast-tracked fix could not come soon enough.

The first piles are in the ground for a steel bridge that would span 124 metres across a ravine carved out by a landslide on State Highway 25A.

The erection of the bridge itself is due to begin in six weeks, with a deadline for completion in March 2024.

That means another seven months where motorists travelling from the north will need to take the long way through Paeroa and Waihi to get to holiday hotspots Tairua and Pauanui.

But Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni is confident the work is heading in the right direction.

Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni. Photo: RNZ. 

"They're on track, which is really positive, and on budget."

However, that budget is double the $23-28 million engineering consultants Beca estimated it would take to build the steel bridge in their remediation options report to Waka Kotahi last month.

The government put its own estimate at $30-40 million, but now says the cost could be up to $50 million, factoring in a contingency buffer, and highlighting the need for speed.

"We need to recognise that people are working here almost 20 hours a day, and the offsite work that is being done to support this project is going 24/7," says Sepuloni.

Transport Minister David Parker says he's impressed with how quickly contractors are progressing with the work. 

"This is an enormous project. This bridge, or viaduct really, is longer than a football field.

"They're going to deliver it by March next year. They've really rattled their dags to get this under way."

Parker gave the project his seal of approval, and says he's very confident any new slips will not cause any problems for the bridge.

"These piles go down as much as 45 metres to get down to the bedrock so that the bridge will be very stable.

"They're also doing land stabilisation works in the hill to the side to put in extra drains to minimise the chance of those areas slipping."

Project contractors say slips are a fact of life, and this will not be the last one that Coromandel faces.

But Thames-Coromandel mayor Len Salt hopes that the worst is behind his constituents. 

"It's been tough on so many levels.

"We're a resilient community, but this has had an impact, there's no doubt about it."

Salt is grateful that the project is now underway.

"There's this sense of light at the end of the tunnel, or light at the end of the bridge if you like.

"The community is still hurting but feeling optimistic at the moment."

- Additional reporting by RNZ.