West Coasters are growing increasingly concerned a massive slip will close their main highway.
The slip, officially called Epitaph Slip, near Knights Point on State Highway 6, north of Haast, happened in heavy rain in October 2012.
Locals are concerned it's getting worse and a perceived lack of action by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to stabilise the slip will see the highway collapse, cutting off access to the coast.
Local identity Josh Marcotte, known as the Kiwi Bushman, has resorted to posting a video on Facebook, outlining local concerns.
He says tourism businesses are going to lose tens of thousands worth of business because no one will be able to travel up and down the West Coast.
"Something needs to be done," he says.
The slip on the left side of the map on the Haast Highway (NZTA)
NZTA regional performance manager Pete Connors says the NZTA is monitoring the Knights Point site with instruments that measure groundwater and ground movement.
"These indicate that the slip is largely unchanged since it occurred in 2012 due to erosion," he says.
"As well as these instruments, the site is visually inspected at least weekly, with road users' safety the guiding priority.
"The road itself is much lower than the ridge separating it from the slip and set back by at least five metres."
The NZTA has plans in the new financial year to look at road design options if there's any cause for concern based on instrument readings.
"In all our deliberations the safety of road users is paramount," Mr Connors says.
The NZTA has previously estimated work to prevent the slip getting worse could cost $2 million dollars.
Newshub.
