Why Was The Zigzag Considered Dangerous?
New Zealand, oceania
N/A
N/A
extreme
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're smack-dab in the middle of New Zealand's South Island, cruising through Arthurs Pass National Park. Epic, right? You're on State Highway 73, but forget the boring highway part – this is an adventure!
Now, let's talk about a former white-knuckle section nicknamed "The Zigzag." This part of the road used to climb a steep section on a constantly shifting scree slope. Imagine trying to maintain a road that’s always being eaten away by erosion, flooding, and landslides! This crazy section kept sliding down the mountainside! Over time, the road was moved almost 215 feet back up the slope!
Driving The Zigzag was gnarly. The steep incline meant you were practically crawling, and the constant threat of rocks tumbling down made it an adrenaline rush (maybe a bit too much of one!). It got so bad they eventually had to ditch it because the risk was just too high.
Thankfully, engineers came to the rescue! They built the awesome Ōtira Viaduct to bypass The Zigzag's treacherous slopes. This viaduct offers a much safer and smoother ride through Arthurs Pass. You still get the stunning scenery, but without the nail-biting danger of the old Zigzag! You'll still experience the beauty of the West Coast Road, but now you can relax and enjoy the ride.
Road Details
- Country
- New Zealand
- Continent
- oceania
- Difficulty
- extreme
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