Summer weather is on its way, which means barbeques, backyard cricket and baches. It also signals the start of the summer roadworks season with crews busy doing repairs, resurfacing and maintenance work on Nelson and Tasman’s state highways.
“While we’re working keeping the roads maintained all year around, the warmer months between October and May are the best time of year for maintenance and repairs. This is because when the weather is warmer and the air is drier, the seal sticks more effectively to the road surface,” Mark Owen, Regional Network Performance Manager NZ Transport Agency says.
“Regularly resealing roads makes them safer to drive on and less likely to require expensive repair work in the future. We appreciate that summer brings more visitors to the Nelson and Tasman regions, and road works can inconvenience people. Dust, noise, speed restrictions and detours can be frustrating, which is why we’re giving people as much notice and information as we can so they can plan ahead for their journeys,” Mr Owen says.
There will be traffic management in place, including temporary speed restrictions from time to time, so drivers should plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys. Speed restrictions are there to protect both drivers and road workers. They also help to prevent windscreen damage and allow for the new surface to cure so it is really important even if no work is happening on site that drivers keep their speeds to the temporary posted limits.
From early November details of upcoming summer maintenance works will be available from www.onthemove.govt.nz(external link), or by calling 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49). For real-time information about what is happening in and around Nelson and Tasman you can join the Transport Agency’s Twitter feed (@NZTATotS) or Facebook page www.facebook.com/nztasouthisland(external link).
Along with our website, social media and 0800 number, from early November we will be advertising upcoming state highway roadworks in local papers and on the Transport Agency’s website www.nzta.govt.nz/nelson-tasman-roadworks(external link) to make sure that everyone knows what to expect.
“The NZ Transport Agency is investing over $2 million this summer in maintaining highways around Nelson and Tasman. We would like to thank road users and local communities in advance for your patience, courtesy and understanding while we do this important work to keep all road users safer on our roads,” Mr Owen says.
Mr Owen says the while there are a number of sites in the Nelson and Tasman regions this summer to have work done, some jobs are bigger and more complicated than others:
Main Road, Riwaka resurfacing - State Highway 60, planned start December 2016
This work will take place three days between 8am – 3pm to minimise the impact for road users. Drivers can expect delays of up to five minutes when travelling though this area due to stop/go traffic management.
Edens Road/Aniseed Valley Road Intersection, Hope resurfacing - State Highway 6, planned start December 2016
We’re resurfacing the road at the intersection of State Highway 6, Edens Road and Aniseed Valley Road as part on-going maintenance. This work will be carried out between 9am – 3pm. Two lanes will remain open with speed restrictions in place to minimise disruption to road users.
Gentle Annie Resurfacing - State Highway 6, between Glenduan and Hira, late February/early March 2017.
As part on the ongoing maintenance work carried out last year, we are returning to apply a second sealing coat. This second coat is applied after the first has had time to settle and is designed to fully waterproof the new surface and make it more durable. Traffic management will be in place and we will keep two lanes open.
