A slip near Otoko in Tairāwhiti Gisborne district has shut State Highway 2, cutting the city off once again.

Over 30 vehicles queued near Otoko originally for a stop/go. However, a Stuff reporter at the site said a new slip has made the road impassable and contractors are assessing how long it will take to clear it.

The slip means that motorists will have to reconsider travel to the East Coast with State highway 2 and State Highway 35 closed due to severe structural damage.

The highway was previously closed between 7pm and 7am in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle but is now open 24 hours despite active slips along the route.

Waka Kotahi has been contacted.

Some state highways were badly hit by Cyclone Gabrielle, after slips, washouts and flooding made roads undriveable, with some roads expected to take years to fix.

Last month Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said it was time to 'get real” about the roading network and move roads which were in particularly vulnerable locations.

- Conor Knell/Stuff.