State Highway 3 will be closed through the Manawatū Gorge until Friday afternoon.
A slip has blocked the road about 2km from the Ashhurst end of the gorge after more than a day of steady rain in the area.
The rock fall occurred about 1.23pm about 700m east of the where a slip closed the Gorge on and off for close to a year in 2011 and 2012.
The slip will not be cleared by contractors until the site has been assessed by an engineer on Friday morning.
"We're keen to get the slip cleared and get the road re-opened because we know how vital this link is for the region," NZTA spokesman Andrew Knackstedt said.
"But we need to be sure the site is stable and safe before we can let our contractors get in there and get the work under way.
"We'll let people know as soon as we have more information, and the meantime we're asking drivers to be patient and to drive carefully in these wet conditions when using the detours."
Motorists were advised to take the Saddle Road between Ashhurst and Woodville. This would add about 30 minutes to the journey.
The Pahiatua-Aokautere Road, also referred to as the Pahiatua Track, was also open for drivers heading between Palmerston North and Wairarapa.
Source: Manawatū Standard
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