A council road in Turua is being repaired at the same time as a state highway closure this month.
Pavement rehabilitation works on Hauraki Rd are being undertaken concurrently with the Onetai Stream Bridge replacement on SH26 – despite it being the advised detour for travellers to take.
Hauraki Mayor Toby Adams said the roadworks did not come with the best of timing, but the schedule had been set before Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency had advised them of the February closure of SH26, which runs between Paeroa and Thames.
“That portion of [Hauraki] road has needed work for a little bit of time, so we approved a budget, and that gave staff the ability to go out and get a tender with a start date, which they did,” he said. “All of a sudden, NZTA came out and said that they were starting work on the other side, which they were supposed to have done last year.”
Mayor Adams said he and his chief executive wrote to the agency requesting a change of date for the bridge replacement, but this was denied.
He said he understood drivers’ frustration.
“It’s no different for us as elected members and staff; those are roads that we travel frequently,” he told The Profile. “I mean, the plus side is that you’ll still be able to travel through, it’ll just be under stop-go. And yes, there might be a bit more increased traffic from traffic that is coming the other way, but if you’re local, you know there’s multiple ways to get around that, and it may be quicker to take a slightly longer route,” he said.
“But either way, just plan your events to know that wherever you’re going, or whichever way you’re going, it’s going to take a little bit longer, and if you already know that, it’s a lot easier to deal with.”
Waka Kotahi’s Waikato systems manager Andrew Oakley said the transport agency had been in discussions with Hauraki District Council about its Onetai Bridge project from its inception, as it was aware the Turua works were being undertaken concurrently.
“As the Onetai Stream and the area surrounding the worksite is subject to flooding during wet weather, the works needed to be scheduled during the drier summer months – January through to March,” he said.
“This bridge is at the end of its life and given its age and condition, delaying the project until next summer was not an option.
“We understand that the road closure will be inconvenient to residents and businesses, and our contractor will work as quickly as possible in order to minimise the length of time the road needs to be closed.”
He said the agency has worked with council to coordinate temporary traffic management between the two projects that minimises disruption to road users and community.
BY KELLEY TANTAU
