Inland Kaikoura Road , formerly designated State Highway 70 , is a provincial highway in the South Island of New Zealand that runs from just south of Kaikoura to just north of Culverden via Waiau and Rotherham . White shields are used to signify this highway . It forms part of the Alpine Pacific Triangle tourist route . It also serves as an alternative inland route in cases where SH 1 is closed near the South Kaikoura Coast . Following the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake , all roads into Kaikoura were closed including Route 70 ; it was the first road connection to Kaikoura to reopen in mid-December
2016 Kaikoura earthquake
2016 Kaikoura earthquake
Inland Kaikoura Road