Work to resurface a 680m section of State Highway 57 at Linton will get underway from next week, as part of a record programme of road maintenance and improvements planned across New Zealand over the spring and summer construction season.
The work to reseal SH57 between Kendalls Line and Currins Road will start on Monday 3 October, and is expected to take six weeks to complete.
Stop/Go traffic management will be in place from 3 October to 10 November inclusive, between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Saturday. People are advised to plan ahead and expect delays of up to 10 minutes while work is underway. Overnight and on Sundays the road will be open with a 30km/h temporary speed limit in place.
Manawatū-Whanganui System Manager Maintenance and Operations, Rob Service, says the work is part of the largest ever programme of road maintenance in New Zealand.
Between late September 2022 and April 2023, more than 2,400 lane kilometres of state highway will be resealed or rebuilt from Cape Reinga to the Bluff – more than 10% of the state highway network.
“Winter is always tough on our roads, and the damage caused by the particularly heavy rain we’ve seen this winter means we have a big job ahead of us in spring and summer.
“In terms of scale, this is the most significant renewal programme we have ever undertaken in New Zealand.”
Mr Service says the Stop/Go traffic management at the SH57 work site will allow contractors to undertake the essential resurfacing work safely.
“Our contractors will rebuild and resurface this section of State Highway 57. There are various phases to this renewal work, including hoeing the existing pavement, adding additional base course gravel, grade compact and sealing with a first coat.”
Contractors will return to the site in about 12 months to add the second coat seal. This is a standard road construction technique used across New Zealand, which ensures the first coat is well trafficked to prevent flushing.
Flushing is where bitumen rises up through the road surface covering the chip, resulting in a lack of texture and skid resistance. In wet weather, it also does not allow water to drain away effectively, which can cause a loss of traction.
People are asked to follow traffic management directions and adhere to speed restrictions to ensure the safety of everyone involved and to minimise the risk of damage to both vehicles and any new seal.
Waka Kotahi thanks everyone for their patience while we undertake this important maintenance work.
