Ohakune Mountain Road now completely sealed

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 242, 10 May 1988, Page 7

Ohakune Mountain Road now completely sealed

By

Lynley

Ward

The sealing of Ohakune Mountain Road has, been completed, 13 years after it was begun. The managing director of New Zealand Ski Fields Ltd, Mr Tony Wright, says sealing was completed "about a month ago." "Without a doubt it is now the best prepared, safest and most scenic mountain road in the country." The completion of sealing means day-to-day maintenance of the road during the ski season will no longer be needed. In the past, many people, including tour bus operators, have been reluctant to take vehicles up the mountain road because it was unsealed, says Mr Wright. Now they will be prepared to use it. After the first few kilometres of the 16km road had been sealed, the National Roads Board financed about 1km each year until funds dried up about four years ago. Mr Wright says the board asked the then Waimarino County Council for a 25% contribution towards the cost of sealing the remaining 5km. New Zealand Ski Fields Ltd put up the $150,000 required on the condition that the sealing was completed over the summers of 1986-87 and 1987-88. Mr Wright says Ohakune Mountain Road is now the only sealed mountain road in the North Island. The only other sealed mountain road is at Coronet Peak, near Queenstown.