A road resurfacing procurement partnership between the NZ Transport Agency and the Whakatāne District Council is helping each organisation to achieve more efficient and economical local and highway maintenance outcomes. 

The partnership involves the two organisations contracting out similar work programmes under one contract, as opposed to operating separate contracts.

Acting Highways Manager Mark Haseley says the partnership is now being emulated in other areas of the Bay of Plenty and nationally as part of the Transport Agency’s drive to achieve more customer-focused outcomes. The Eastern Bay of Plenty is the first to take this approach and reflects the Agency putting into practice a ‘one network’ approach to road maintenance.

“A collaborative approach to road maintenance enables both parties to maximise the investments being made in our networks to better meet the needs of our customers.”

Resurfacing maintenance work which will be undertaken on local roads and state highways in the Whakatāne District between now and March next year is the second of this type of procurement contract that the Transport Agency and the Council have jointly awarded.

Council Transportation Manager Martin Taylor says combining contracts avoids duplicating effort and ensures residents and road users get the best possible value for their infrastructure investment. “It is undoubtedly a better way of using our resources and we see this approach being applied to a wider range of road maintenance applications in the future.”

The resurfacing joint contract has been awarded to Fulton Hogan for approximately $5.5M.

“$2.2M will be spent on the state highway network throughout the eastern Bay of Plenty, and $3.2M is to be spent on Whakatāne District Council roads. This joint investment will help ensure roads in the area are well maintained and safe to drive on,” says Mr Haseley.