SH25 at Opoutere is going to reopen tonight to light vehicles, after a washout grew yesterday to take out a lane of the key road to the Coromandel Peninsula.

The bus to Whangamatā Area School has not been able to bring children over from the Hikuai and Tairua side of the road damage.

Whangamtā Area School principal Alistair Luke says they have just over 80 students and two teachers unable to get to school.