Now, it aims to reopen at least one lane by the end of July but said wet weather continued to be the key risk to progress.
Helena Bay resident Tony Hoskins said the further delay added to locals’ frustrations, with fears there was no urgency to reopen the road.
Hoskins’ food truck, Tony’s Diner, was down about $30,000 in takings on last year due to the lack of visitors to the area, he said.
The latest delay meant the road will not be open for the school holidays and Matariki public holiday, further compounding woes, he said.
On top of the business impact, the road closure was upturning the lives of local residents, some of whom were having to stay in central Whangārei due to the alternate trip taking up to two hours each way, Hoskins said.
Tony Hoskins says takings for his food truck Tony’s Diner, based at Whangaruru Beachfront Camp, were down about $30,000 this year. Photo / Denise Piper
“It just affects everybody: Ōakura is like a ghost town during the week.”
All residents faced increased car maintenance cost and tyre wear due to the state of Kaiikanui Rd, and there was fear dropouts on the the road would get worse, he said.
Hoskins lives directly northeast of the slip and said the apparent lack of progress, including on days with fine weather, was frustrating.
He believed contractors were more focused on selling the large boulders in the slip than clearing the slip material.
However, he was pleased to see contractors working at road level on Wednesday and hoped that meant the end of July completion date would be met.
Another business owner, Robynne Cooper from Whangaruru Beachfront Camp, said her year had been “unbelievably tough”.
Whangaruru Beachfront Camp has just a handful of guests while the main road has been closed. Photo / Denise Piper
Her campground in Ohawini had $97,000 in cancellations because of the road closure, with campervans not allowed on Kaiikanui Rd and tourists being unwilling to make the 2.5-hour drive via Ōpua ferry.
Cooper said her income protection insurance paid just $6000 on the loss because her campground – although affected by a slip and flooding – was able to reopen.
She also gratefully received $5000 through the Mayoral Relief Fund but said she still had a huge shortfall.
Reopening Russell Rd ‘top priority’, council says
The council said it understood the community’s concerns and acknowledged how important the route was for residents.
“Reopening the road as soon as it is safe and practical remains our top priority,” said project lead Curt Martin from Censeo Consulting.
“Progress can be affected by factors such as ground conditions and weather, but crews continue to work whenever it is safe to do so.”
More than 45,000cu m of soil and 9500cu m of rock had been removed from the slip site, loaded on 3000 Moxy trucks. Photo / Denise Piper
Martin said any recovery of rocks or boulders was secondary to removing the slip material and the council had no intention of selling them.
Earlier updates said the boulders were mostly being kept by the council for engineering works.
Martin said the pilot system would remain in place while Kaiikanui Rd was the primary access route and would be reinstated if Russell Rd needed to close again for any further work.
The latest topographical drone survey, done in late June, was being reviewed to refine the project timeline, he said.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.