The Inland Kaikōura Road, formerly designated State Highway 70, is a provincial highway in the
South Island
The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...
of New Zealand that runs from just south of
Kaikōura to just north of
Culverden via
Waiau and
Rotherham
Rotherham () is a large minster and market town in South Yorkshire, England. The town takes its name from the River Rother which then merges with the River Don. The River Don then flows through the town centre. It is the main settlement of ...
. White shields are used to signify this highway. It forms part of the Alpine Pacific Triangle tourist route. It also serves as an alternative inland route in cases where
SH 1 is closed near the South
Kaikōura Coast. Following the 14 November
2016 Kaikōura earthquake
The 2016 Kaikoura earthquake was a magnitude 7.8 (Mw) earthquake in the South Island of New Zealand that occurred two minutes after midnight on 14 November 2016 NZDT (11:02 on 13 November UTC). Ruptures occurred on multiple faults and the e ...
, all roads into Kaikōura were closed including SH70; after extensive regrading and clearance the Inland Road was the first road connection to Kaikōura to reopen and was a lifeline for the community.
History
The highway lost its
state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
status because of the lack of traffic using it. In 1991 the section from Waiau to Kaikōura was revoked. Before revocation approximately of highway was unsealed; however this was later sealed by the two district councils which maintained it. The remainder of SH 70 was revoked in 2004. Because of its scenic qualities it is now noted as one of the must drive roads in New Zealand. The road in parts is narrow and winds through steep hill country with several river valleys.
The road was closed following the
2016 Kaikōura earthquake
The 2016 Kaikoura earthquake was a magnitude 7.8 (Mw) earthquake in the South Island of New Zealand that occurred two minutes after midnight on 14 November 2016 NZDT (11:02 on 13 November UTC). Ruptures occurred on multiple faults and the e ...
and was for a few days open to the military only; the first army convoy reached Kaikōura on Friday, 18 November 2016, and this was the only land route into Kaikōura since SH1 was cut off by the earthquake. Some time later, registered convoys were allowed. Unrestricted access was restored on 19 December 2016, giving the public road access to Kaikōura again.
Route
The highway runs inland on the Inland Kaikōura Road from SH 1 just south of Kaikōura. It then turns south west running almost parallel to SH 1 in an adjacent valley. Passing over the Conway River the road becomes the Inland Road. It continues south, eventually passing the intersection with Mt Lyford Forrest Drive (for access to
Mt Lyford Alpine Village and Ski Area) and going through the small townships of Waiau (petrol available here) and Rotherham before ending a
Red Post the junction of Rotherham Point Road and SH 7's Mouse Point Road just north of Culverden.
Major intersections
See also
*
List of New Zealand state highways
This is a list of highways of the New Zealand state highway network and some touring routes. State highways are administered by the NZ Transport Agency, while all other roads are the responsibility of territorial authorities.
Current
North I ...
References
{{New Zealand State Highway navbox
Roads in New Zealand
Transport in Canterbury, New Zealand