Tourism operators on the Whanganui River Road are expecting to be hit in the backpocket as roadworks continue on the remote stretch of road in the wake of the 2015 floods.
A major project has begun at Shellrock Bluff - 15km from the State Highway 4 turnoff - that will close the road for several hours a day for the next month at least.
The one-in-200-year flood event in June 2015 caused hundreds of slips and washouts, and closed the road for several weeks.
More than two years on, the road is still scarred, pitted with potholes and reduced to one lane in many places.
Whanganui River Adventures owner Ken Haworth operates jet boat tours out of Pipiriki about 75km from Whanganui.
Mr Haworth said the road closures would cost him business.
"It scares away any of the passing traffic so anybody that's passing through or tourists who are going off by themselves, they see the road closure signs at the top and bottom ends and so they basically don't come this way. That's what happens."
Mr Haworth said the road was also closed for long periods last year and he was disappointed at the level of consultation with River Road residents.
He was thrilled to see the work being done, but reckoned it could've been handled better.
Ben Adams, whose family runs the Bridge to Nowhere Jet boat tours and Whanganui River Canoesat Pipiriki. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Ben Adams, whose family runs the Bridge to Nowhere Jet boat tours and Whanganui River Canoes, was bringing ashore a group of Wellington school children at Pipiriki.
He said the jet boat side of the operation would suffer.
"It doesn't affect the canoeing side of things too much but I suppose with the local jet boats operating out of here a lot of people drive up the River Rd to get to here.
"Places like the Flying Fox, which is an accommodation place halfway down, they'd probably feel the affect as well."
Matahiwi Gallery and Cafe owner Marlene Ranginui was not impressed at the road being closed again. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Halfway between Pipiriki and the turn off to State Highway 4 is the Matahiwi Gallery and Cafe.
Its owner Marlene Ranginui was not impressed at the road being closed again.
"Unfortunately having that sign just outside my gateway is not going to help me. This morning some people came through and they stopped, looked at the sign and off they went.
"Last year it was exactly the same and I lost a lot of business through that."
Ms Ranginui thought the signage could include travelling times so people could make informed decisions about whether to stop or not.
But not everyone was upset at how the roadworks are being handled.
Sister Christina the last remaining nun at Sisters Of Compassion Catholic Convent at Jerusalem. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Sister Christina is the last remaining nun at Sisters Of Compassion Catholic Convent at Jerusalem.
She said although the road closures were a challenge for guests, she felt well informed.
"They sent us a timetable. They're very good. They're good people so before 12pm if anyone wants to go to town they have to hurry and go before 9am and then we have to race back before midday so we can get here."
Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
Whanganui District Council senior roading engineer Rui Leitao said the project at Shellrock Bluff, or Oyster Rock Bluff as it was also known, was one of the last two major jobs left to do on the River Road.
He said it was a tricky job and that was why the road would need to be closed.
"Unfortunately because the bank is quite high and the machinery is sitting quite high and will be tossing material basically into a base where the existing road platform is we can't allow people to traverse that space and the road has to be closed for that reason."
Mr Leitao said road closures were always disruptive but a public meeting had helped form a timetable that accommodated most people while allowing the work to be done.
He did not find any argument from the black-singlet clad "Kiwi" who was removing a fallen pine from the side of the road near Koriniti.
"You just have to work around it. It's happened before. You can't stop slips coming down and if the road's blocked it's blocked and if you're hemmed in for a week you're hemmed in for a week," Kiwi said.
"You've just got to go with the flow."
Periodic road closures will be in force at Shellrock Bluff until 8 December - but the road will be open weekends and on public holidays.
A stop / go system will then take over for the remainder of December before contractors move onto the last major project, the Jerusalem bluff.
The government has pledged $27 million to repair Whanganui's damaged roads with $10m of that to be spent on the River Rd.
Whanganui River Road closures 6 November - 8 December:
9am to 12 midday - CLOSED
Midday to 1pm - OPEN
1pm to 3pm - CLOSED
3pm to 4pm - OPEN
4pm to 5.30pm - CLOSED
5.30pm to 6.30pm - OPEN
6.30pm to 9pm - CLOSED
From December 8 until December 23, works will continue using a 'stop/go' system.
