On the Ashhurst side of the highway, the road begins by crossing two new bridges before a steep climb. Photo: Supplied / New Zealand Transport Agency
A long-awaited new road linking Manawatū and Tararua in the lower North Island is potentially just weeks away from opening, and locals can't wait.
Since rock falls caused the old highway through the Manawatū Gorge to close eight years ago, commuters have been forced over windy alternatives.
But in this tale of two districts, the worst of times are almost at an end.
On the Tararua side, Woodville Mart owner Kevin Ashwell survived many closures of the slip-prone old highway through the gorge in his shop's 41 years on the town's main street.
But they never lasted years.
"Every time it has the same effect, it just slays business. Then it comes back over time and people get used to the alternatives.
"It will be nice to have a secure route all the way through, hopefully."
Kevin Ashwell has survived many closures to the old road through the Manawatū Gorge. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
Part of the problem with the main alternative route, the Saddle Road, is that traffic can easily bypass Woodville, and shops like Ashwell's.
When the new $824 million road over the lower slopes of the Ruahine Range opens, that's less likely, as traffic is directed towards the town centre.
"I don't think it's going to transform the place, but if it could just get a bit busier, fill up some of those empty shops and make it a bit more viable for some of those businesses to survive, it will be great."
Huge earthworks have changed the shape of the Ruahine Range. Photo: Supplied / New Zealand Transport Agency
Up the road in Dannevirke, Shires Fruit and Vege Market co-owner Suresh Patel said for a business such as his the new road made a huge difference.
"We have trucks that deliver here every day. Also, we run our own truck over to Palmerston North three times a week. I personally drive it a couple of times in my vehicle as well.
"It will make an impact for sure. It will be better on gas. It will just be a safer, cleaner trip over there."
Patel said many people in the district had to travel to Palmerston North Hospital for appointments too, so their trips would be less stressful.
The new highway rises up the Ruahine Range, as seen from just south of Woodville. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
Tararua District mayor Tracey Collis said people there were tired of the current roads and the regular crashes, and viewed the new route with excitement.
"When you start on the roundabout you've actually got a smile on your face. You start that trip in a happy place just seeing the progress and knowing how close it is.
"We've done it hard for eight years now."
The new road is 11.5 kilometres long and, while steep in places, will be four lanes the whole way.
A trip over the hill will take about 15 minutes - at the moment it can be double.
At the highway's construction office, NZ Transport Agency project spokesman Grant Kauri said work was drawing to a close, but wasn't over yet.
"We're still finishing off our surfacing, which is a lot of our asphalt. Then we've got the line marking and median barrier.
"Then we also have just general tidying up, earthworks and stabilising on the outside, and on our structures some tidy up work as well."
Two of those structures are bridges at the Ashhurst end of the road, known as Te Ahu a Turanga.
Connecting roundabouts at each end are in use and Kauri said work was on track to finish mid this year.
"We're still planning for the exact date and the logistics around that. We're going to have an opening date announcement very soon."
Project spokesman Grant Kauri says an opening date for the new road will be announced soon. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
It seem unlikely that will be far into the future, something Ashhurst resident Arthur Yeo appreciates.
He helped organise a public meeting last year against a shelved proposal to toll the new road, which bypasses the town.
He's also a horse rider, something not possible in Ashhurst when thousands of vehicles a day drive through, rather then a few dozen.
"We've had our lifestyle curtailed because of that. It's been quite a challenge to have our equestrian voice heard, really.
"But, we're excited because it will mean we can just trip trap down there again and get into the river, and enjoy what has been there before."
Ashhurst School principal Heath Chittenden looks forward to fewer cars passing the school. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
Ashhurst School principal Heath Chittenden also welcomes the drop in traffic, but said some families associated with the road build and with children at the school might move from the district.
He was though looking forward to seeing what the school of 500 pupils was like in normal times, having arrived shortly before the 2017 closure, which turned the quiet town into a busy thoroughfare.
And the view from his office of the range would be less interesting now there's no construction to watch.
"I'm from a farming background and I love dirt movements. I've been watching it quite avidly most mornings.
"When things get a bit tough I find serenity watching machines working away. I'm going to miss the buzz and the hum of everything going up there."
The new road also includes a walking and biking path.
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