Safety rules in Desert Road decisions

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 15, Issue 690, 10 June 1997, Page 10

Safety rules in Desert Road decisions

Years ago, closing the Desert Road wasn ' t all it was cracked up lo be. If you were a rugged kind of bloke, you could ignore the 'closed' signs and give it a go anyway. Even when the gates went in at Rangipo and Waiouru, there were drivers who simply drove around them to pit their skills against the snow and ice. Fortunately, times have changed. The Army rescue in 1994, when a string of cars and buses were trapped by a blizzard, has been the cataly st for progressive improvements in the way road closures are co-ordinated and managed. Since those earlier days, cars have changed and so have driver attitudes and expectations. With an increase in traffic and vehicle performance, modern motorists often expect that if the road is open, it should be safe for normal driving. But motorists fail to appreciate that they are driving on an alpine road. Highest highway At 1 100 metres above sea level, the Desert Road is the highest state highway in New Zealand. The summit is roughly the same height as The Grand Chateau on Mt Ruapehu, and subject to the same volatile weather conditions. Those conditions change rapidly, and when a bitter southerly suddenly blows in, it's not the snow that stops the

traffic. It's the ice. During the nine and a half day closure in 1995, there were times when much of the road was bathed in sunshine, and the snow was cleared away. But right at the summit, there was a 1 km stretch of road that remained solid ice — impassable, with air temperatures which seldom rose above zero to allow it to thaw. Alan Burette, Transit New Zealand's area engineer responsible for management of the Desert Road, says North Island drivers seldom experience these extreme conditions and are not skilled at driving on icy roads. Safety comes first Transit New Zealand has fine-tuned its management of the road since 1994. A manual was drawn up, communication improved between the different contractors in charge of closing the gates at each end. Transit' s procedures for managing the road are now reviewed each year in consultation with the Police, the Army and the contractors. Alan says safety must remain Transit New Zealand's top priority in managing the Desert Road. "When we have an alternative route through National Park to Waiouru which adds just 35 minutes to the average journey, we will continue to take a 'safety first' approach to the Desert road," he

says. "Our priority in severe storms is to keep the alternative route open." Snow ploughs ready Historically, snow has been cleared by graders. This year, three snow ploughs are available to shift snow at a faster rate. New electronic message signs will be progressively installed across the North Island to advise motorists of whether the road is open or closed. They replace 42 manual signs. This will speed up and improve notification of closures, and be more visible to drivers. CMA trials planned In November last year, Transit New Zealand applied to Environment Waikato for resource consents to allow trials of the de-icing agent calcium magriesium acetate (CMA) this winter. A hearing date has been set for mid-June. CMA is manufactured from dolomite lime and acetic acid, the active ingredient in vinegar. The compound is biodegradable, breaking down into calcium and magnesium, which are beneficial to the soil, and acetate, which is broken down by soil organisms. CMA is less toxic to trout than salt and doesn't encourage algae growth. But even if CMA lives up to its. reputation overseas, Alan warns that it will not eliminate road closures.

"Our goal is to keep the road open longer during storm events than has been possible in the past, but there will still be times when we consider conditions too dangerous for travel." Weather patterns changing Weather statistics produced by the Department ' of Conservation (DoQ have shown a direct link between colder winter weather in the 1990s and longer closures of the Desert Road. Snow depths recorded on Mt Ruapehu between 1990 and 1995 are two to three times higher than they were between 1980 and 1989, and snow fell earlier in the winter. "Closures became longer and more frequent up to 1995. Last winter, however, was much warmer, with fewer problems. We are ready for action and waiting to see what the weather throws at us this year." Advice to motorists • Slow down — reduce speed before the bends. • Drive to the conditions. A wise driver takes road conditions into consideration by driving slower and allowing a longer following distance to other vehicles. • Allow enough time for your trip. • Be aware that maintenance trucks and other machinery may also be on the road, working to make the road safer, and be patient.