Rainbow Road (New Zealand)

Rainbow Road was built during the 1950s when a high-voltage power transmission line was built to supply the Nelson Region and Buller District with electricity.[1] After the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake closed State Highway 1 along the Kaikoura Coast, the idea was mooted to upgrade Rainbow Road as an inland state highway alternative, but nothing came of this.[1]

The terrain is rugged and the road has not been built to any particular engineering standard, but is there to give maintenance vehicles access to the power pylons.[1] The road is open to the public from 26 December until Easter Monday each year.[2] When using a GPS, it may give Rainbow Road as the most direct link from Christchurch to the city of Nelson, as it is the shortest link, and this sometimes catches out tourists unaware of the conditions in New Zealand's back-country.[3] Under good conditions, it takes a 4WD vehicle about three hours to drive the 112 km.[2] Island Saddle is the highest point on the route at 1,347 metres (4,419 ft), and this is New Zealand's highest public road.[2] Part of the road crosses private land at the Rainbow Station, and the leaseholder charges an access fee of NZ$40 per 4WD, NZ$20 per motorbike, and NZ$5 per mountain bike.[2] Access to the road outside of the season can be arranged through the farm manager at Rainbow Station.[4] [5]