In 2024, Whitestone Contracting Limited completed the SH1 Kakanui Flood Mitigation Project, strengthening a low-lying, flood-prone section of highway south of Oamaru. The work was designed to protect this key transport link from future flood damage and ensure safer, more reliable travel for the community and freight operators.
Delivered for NZTA
Project Status Complete
Collaborations with Ewing Fencing, Concrete Structures, TMC, Road Metals
What We Delivered
- Raising the highway: Up to 1.25 metres higher in places, creating a safer and more resilient route able to withstand a 1-in-50-year flood event.
- Keeping communities moving: Careful traffic management during construction minimised disruption while still delivering the upgrades efficiently.
- Improving safety: New surfacing, line marking, and safety barriers provide long-term protection for all road users.
- Enhancing resilience: Integration with existing drainage and the historic Mill Stream culvert, ensuring water is managed effectively without compromising road stability.
Why It Matters
For our team, this project was about more than just raising a section of the highway – it was about protecting vital connections for the people who rely on SH1 every day.
Delivering this work in our own community meant tackling technical challenges head-on, adapting to a dynamic environment, and keeping traffic moving while the job was underway.
The result is safer, stronger, and more resilient infrastructure that reflects the pride we take in our work and the difference we strive to make for the Waitaki District and beyond.
Strengths We Brought to the Project
Civil construction expertise, environmental resilience, traffic management, stakeholder coordination.
