The annual road works programme, which involves resurfacing roads throughout the Whakatāne District, is underway and will start in the Whakatāne township after Labour weekend. The work is scheduled to avoid as much disruption as possible and in certain areas, work will take place during the evening and through the night to minimise impact on traffic.
Whakatāne District Council Transportation Manager Martin Taylor says he often receives feedback questioning why road resurfacing is scheduled for the busier summer months, rather than during winter when roads are typically quieter. His response is that, due to the nature of the work, the climate needs to be warm and dry for a successful outcome.
“Bitumen, the black tar that sticks stone chips to the road surface, must be laid when the conditions are warm and dry,” he explains. “This ensures the new seal will be strong and long-lasting, and mitigates the risk of cracking compared to when the weather is too cold.”
Mr Taylor says the common process is for bitumen to be spread onto the existing road surface, followed by a layer of sealing chip, which are rolled over to create an initial bond. The road is then re-opened and the chip is further compacted by vehicles. Traffic management remains in place until any loose chips that have not adhered to the bitumen have been swept up, which is often after a road appears to be complete.
“I understand drivers can find it frustrating when there are speed restrictions in place when there are no obvious signs of road works, particularly the contractors and machinery,” he says. “However, it’s still very important that we all follow the maximum speed rules, as loose chip can be dangerous if a vehicle is travelling too fast for the conditions.”
Although repair work will be carried out on local roads across the district, including Ōhope hill, one specific urban Whakatāne site that will affect residents and visitors is Stewart Street. Kerb and channel repairs are currently underway on Stewart Street, and the project will be completed with resurfacing work at the end of October. Mr Taylor advises there will be some form of road closures at times, but that several measures will be taken to ensure as little disruption for road users and residents as possible.
“The contractor has suggested evening, and possibly weekend, shifts to complete Stewart Street works and we’ve also been in discussions with the District Health Board about solutions for hospital and ambulance access.”
Mr Taylor says the programme is slightly fluid based on a number of factors, including weather, equipment and materials and that all efforts are made to follow the schedule as closely as possible. He also says that Fulton Hogan hold the contract for local road resurfacing repairs in the Whakatāne District, but their teams service other districts around the country.
“It is certainly a balancing act for our contractors, with a relatively short timeframe to carry out the necessary road maintenance across the North Island,” Mr Taylor acknowledges. “However, we are in constant communication with project managers, and consequently do our best to inform affected residents and road users with the latest updates in terms of road closures and speed restrictions.”
Mr Taylor encourages the public to keep an eye out for information in their letterboxes, in the Whakatāne Beacon and on the Whakatāne District Council website and social media channels.
“We appreciate road works can be inconvienient, but resurfacing is neccesary to keep our road users safe, and significantly extend the lifespan of the roads – reducing the need for major, and costly, structural repairs.”