People living on the North Otago coast say a scenic route must be protected from sea damage before it is lost forever.
Waitaki District Council has proposed abandoning Waianakarua Road once it is totally eroded, to avoid the mounting cost of protecting it.
Residents survey the erosion that has partially closed the coastal route. Photo: RNZ
The coastal road between Kakanui and Waianakarua is down to one lane in one section after a storm a year ago, but the council has been unable to decide whether to fight back the sea.
Local residents have formed a committee to lobby for the road's long-term protection, arguing it is a key access for farming families and emergency vehicles, and an undervalued tourist route.
The group's leader, Peter Amyes, says a break in the road would mean its permanent loss.
Waitaki mayor Gary Kircher says his council has encouraged the road committee's formation but warns big protection works will be hard to justify.
