Construction has begun on a 60 metres long, 4 metres high ‘Ecoreef’ retaining wall to strengthen the bank between River Road and Ākitio River. The project is one of the largest emergency works sites in the district.

During Cyclone Gabrielle, Ākitio River washed out a section of the road over 150 metres and narrowed this section of road from 4 - 6 metres. Four options were developed to restore the site and make it resilient to future flooding and storms. The final solution involves drainage improvements and building an Ecoreef protective structure into the existing rock face with 900 individual Ecoreef modules, each weighing 500 kilograms.

The Ecoreef hexagonal module is inspired by one of nature’s strongest shapes. It forms the basis of an interlocking system that enables the creation of maximum strength structures in demanding environments.

This work is expected to take until April and will make this critical access road more reliable and resilient to future weather events.