Federated Farmers has nothing but praise for the efforts to open an alternate route to State Highway 35 on the East Coast, which has been closed for over a week.
The Transport Agency closed the road between Tolaga Bay and Tokomaru Bay after a large slip undermined the highway.
Within a couple of days the agency and the Gisborne District Council co-operated to open up an inland route to provide access to and from Gisborne for light vehicles.
Gisborne-Wairoa president Hamish Cave says a lot of work has been done so heavy trucks can also use the alternate route.
There are restrictions on the alternative route which is unsealed and narrow in parts.
Heavy trucks, but not truck and trailer units, can use the road, which is open only for 15 minutes at the start of each hour between 7am and 5pm.
