Subscribe to RSSSH16 Affected By Accident
An accident has meant that SH16 from the port up Grafton Gully is going to have to be closed tonight for emergency repairs.
An overhead gantry under Grafton Bridge has been damaged after being hit by a truck carrying a container.
All lanes of SH16 heading to the Southern, Northwestern and Northern motorways will be closed from 6.30pm tonight until 5am to remove that overhead gantry.
Detours will be in place during this time, motorists are asked to follow the signposted routes.
The NZTA says the motorway will be closed immediately if high winds and rain pick up again, or there is further movement of the gantry.
“We are endeavouring to keep this important link open during the evening rush hour, but will not hesitate to close it if we think there is a risk to the safety of drivers,” says the NZTA’s State Highways Manager for Auckland, Tommy Parker. “We urge all drivers to use Grafton Gully with care.”
5 Comments
Good on them for front-footing on safety. Anyone know if they’re posting warnings on the VMS system?
While we don’t know for sure where the container was heading I wonder if it was one that could have instead been moved by rail to Wiri or Westfield thereby avoiding this issue. I wonder if the trucking company pays for this damage or is it the taxpayer?
Matt L, assuming that it was down to fault on the part of the truck’s operator (un-permitted over-height load or the like) then they’re liable and NZTA will pursue costs.
If it was unavoidable, maybe due to the gantry flexing in the wind and the truck just being there at the wrong time, then I believe NZTA wears the cost as it’s no fault of the operator and I don’t think they carry insurance for that kind of event. Most Crown departments don’t insure.
Oh, and if it was a permitted over-height load, I’m not sure who’s liable. Probably the operator, for failing to ensure the route sought had sufficient clearance for the load. That’s the normal practice for government departments: no care, no responsibility.
Matt - Providing the NZTA can identify the truck that caused the damage. The driver may not have even known the gantry had been hit.
There weren’t any really high winds, which is why NZTA allowed the road to stay open despite having already coned off a lane for the crane that was waiting to go into action. From Grafton Bridge (looking at the back side of the signage) the gantry looked perfectly fine (certainly the truck didn’t seem to have hit the supports themselves).
Not saying NZTA were wrong for removing it, but it was hard to see what exactly caused it.