Major route to West Coast reopens after motorists stymied for days by flooding

A major route to the West Coast closed by the recent Canterbury floods has reopened.

State Highway 73 through Arthur's Pass between Springfield and Castle Hill was inaccessible for much of the past week.

A slip that forced its closure has now been cleared.

It's one of only a handful of routes into the West Coast and the only link from Mid Canterbury.

Meanwhile, a decision on truck access to the flood-damaged Ashburton Bridge is expected today. 

The disruption to the vital route is causing delivery delays, affecting goods supplies and leaving gaps on supermarket shelves. 

More stress testing was carries out last night to ensure the bridge is safe. 

For now, only light traffic can travel across at a reduced speed.