Transport Minister Michael Wood says the government is committed to restoring the road connection across the Coromandel Peninsula, after the major dropout on SH25A a few weeks ago.
Earlier on Thursday the Prime Minister would not clearly confirm that the connection would be fixed, telling reporters resilient roads in the area would be restored.
"There's a staged process," Wood said.
"This month contractors are effectively creating access... In April, they'll be able to do the work to assess what the options are for rebuilding it. And it could be that we look to rebuild in that location, or it could be that we have to find an alternative route.
"It's not necessarily going to be exactly the same road as the one that we've lost."
Wood told Checkpoint he's been talking with Thames-Coromandel Mayor Len Salt about reviving the ferry service between Auckland and Coromandel township.
"I think this is worth exploring."
Fullers 360 which ran the service is keen to revive it but does not have the right staff. It's calling for experienced skippers to be on the immigration fast-track.
"I'm open to consideration of further pathways that might assist, including looking at residency options," Michael Wood said.
"So we have some work underway to look at that at the moment."
