Waka Kotahi is advising motorists that essential seal repairs will be carried out on sections of SH3 at Tariki tonight (14 December) between 8pm and midnight, under Stop/Go traffic control, with delays of 5-10 minutes, weather permitting.
Waka Kotahi Maintenance & Operations Manager Rob Service apologises for the ongoing issues at the site and thanks motorists and the local community for their patience.
“With the hot temperatures yesterday, crews returned to the site to apply dry chip to SH3 at Tariki. This work was to embed an additional layer of chip to the existing seal to manage bitumen exposure on the road surface during the warmer temperatures.
“The work undertaken this week is intended to help the road hold up until permanent repairs can be carried out early in the new year, once the site has settled,” Mr Service says.
The site will remain under a 50km/h temporary speed limit while crews monitor the site over the coming days, before it is swept and line marked over the weekend.
Motorists are asked to please be patient, abide by the traffic management in place and be kind and courteous to road workers.
This section of SH3 was rebuilt and sealed during the last construction season. A second seal was applied on Tuesday 4 October, but unfortunately colder than forecast overnight temperatures caused the new seal to fail in areas. Initial repairs were carried out on Friday 7 October, and an ongoing maintenance plan is in place until permanent repairs can take place in early 2023. The associated costs for remedial treatments are being covered by the road contractor.