Glenvar Road Flood Repairs Glenvar Road Flood Repairs
Work is underway to rebuild a section of Glenvar Road badly damaged during the Anniversary Weekend floods. Weather-permitting, we expect Glenvar Road to be open by the end of November, in time for summer.
Intense rain on Anniversary Weekend caused the land on both sides of the Glenvar Road ridge between East Coast Road and Fitzwilliam Drive to slip, eroding the land below the road. That means this section of Glenvar Road is no longer properly supported. We closed the road following geotechnical advice that further slips could put property and lives at risk.
We appreciate the significance Glenvar Road provides for the Long Bay community. The priority for our team and contractors is repairing and opening the affected section of Glenvar Road as quickly as possible.
Project timeline
February:
- Stabilisation work to reduce risk of further slips
- Assess damage and compile options for repair
- Work with utility providers to assess and repair services
March:
- Prepare repair options Investigate funding
- Assess repair options and select preferred option
April
- Discuss preferred option with elected members, mana whenua
- Finalise preferred repair option
- Repair options designs prepared and costed
May
- Final cost presented to AT
- Construction begins (northern side first followed by southern side)
November
- Construction complete
Frequently asked questions
Why is Glenvar Road closed?
The section of Glenvar Road closest to East Coast Road runs along a narrow, steep ridge. The intense rain on 27 January caused the land on both sides of the ridge to slip, eroding the land below the road. This means the road is no longer properly supported. AT closed the road following geotechnical advice that further slips could put property and lives at risk.
How long will the road be closed?
At this stage we estimate the work will take six to 10 months to complete. We will have more specific timeframes as we move through the process.
Why is it taking so long?
The ground under Glenvar Road was badly damaged following the weather events. Reinstating the road requires significant earth stabilisation works. We are utilising emergency processes to fast-track the process where possible, however, it’s a big job!
What is the process AT is undertaking to fix the road?
We are working with Fulton Hogan along with services providers such as Vector, Watercare and Chorus to secure, design and reinstate the damaged section of Glenvar Road. The works will be undertaken under emergency works allowing us to fast track some parts of the process.
When will repairs begin?
Even though you can’t always see it on the ground, the work is well-underway. We have secured the road to minimise further damage and have removed hazards such as damaged power poles. We are currently finalising the plans and specifications for the repair works and securing funding. We expect work to begin onsite in May or June this year.
When will the road be open?
We expect Glenvar Road to be fully open by the end of November, in time for summer. The opening date can be affected by factors such as weather conditions.
Will the planned capital works be brought forward?
We do not have funding to proceed with the capital works at this time. The detailed design process for the capital works is into its final stages and we will use them to apply to Auckland Council and Waka Kotahi for funding and apply for Resource Consents this year.
Why aren’t you allowing for the future planned works in your plan for the repairs?
We originally planned to fully accommodate the future capital works into the repairs and widen that section of Glenvar Road. However, further investigation showed this option would take up to 18 months to implement and there are significant uncertainties regarding when additional funding to begin this option will be available, meaning there would be no certain completion date for some time.
With Glenvar Road being a key route for those living and visiting the Long Bay community and the concerns expressed by those living on nearby residential streets due to traffic being diverted from Glenvar Road, we concluded that opening the road as soon as possible is the priority. We will account for the future works, where feasible.
Why can’t I walk or ride my bike along the damaged section?
The road has been closed to all road users, including walkers and cyclists as it is not safe. While it may look safe, there are several hazards that you cannot see, including the ground under the road being unstable and power lines not safely secured. For the safety of you and your whānau please do not cross the barriers – they are there to keep you safe.
Wouldn’t it be faster to open one lane to allow traffic to move through?
The priority for our team and contractors is opening the damaged section of Glenvar Road events as quickly and efficiently as possible. We reviewed opening Glenvar Road one way, however, doing so would slow down the repair process by up to six months, as we would be constrained by the traffic. We concluded that digging in and getting the repairs completed as quickly as possible and in time for next summer would be less disruptive in the long run.
Traffic on my road has increased due to the closure of Glenvar Road. What is AT doing about this?
The closure of a main route, such as Glenvar Road will increase traffic on the surrounding streets. We appreciate this will impact residents of those streets. We are working as fast as possible to get Glenvar Road open again to minimise the impact on you and your whānau. We cannot ban vehicles from travelling along public roads, however, we have approached some businesses and requested that heavy vehicles use the larger streets, and installed Residents Only signs on some streets to discourage commuter entry. We have also installed additional safety measures such as reducing the speeds on narrower streets to 30kph. We continue to monitor the situation and assess whether any additional safety measures can be implemented.
Traffic is ignoring the 30kph signs and speeding through the street, what can I do?
If traffic is exceeding the speed limit, please pass that information onto NZ Police. You can do that by telephoning 105 or online at 105.police.govt.nz
Please dial 111 for an emergency.
What route will the buses previously using Glenvar Road follow while the road is closed?
While Glenvar Road is closed, the 856 bus and school services 071 (Pinehill to Long Bay College), 024 (HBC Station to Northcross Intermediate), and 027 (Long Bay College to Stanmore Bay) will detour via Glamorgan Drive. You may need to use a different stop to catch the bus. Please visit Glenvar Road Slip Repairs and Bus Detours to find out what stops have temporarily closed and how bus services are affected.
When the road reopens, buses will return to their original routes.
Aerial photo showing the severity of damage to Glenvar Road.
Project updates
Please come back to this page for any updates on Glenvar Road.
You will find more information on our Auckland flood-impacted road repair and recovery programme page.
For any specific concerns or queries please contact us.