WC 151: network and asset management

This page relates to the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme.

This webpage is under review

An update to reflect the Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024 is under way. 

Introduction

Work category 151 provides for the general management and control of the road network and management of road infrastructure, including public footpaths and cycleways and associated facilities. Funding assistance is subject to the condition of funding set out below.

Qualifying activities

Work category 151 covers the general management and control of the road network and management of road infrastructure, including public footpaths and cycleways and associated facilities.

Work category 151 is available to the following activity classes:

• local road maintenance
• state highway maintenance.

Local road and state highway maintenance

Examples of qualifying activities

Examples of qualifying activities include, but may not be limited to:

• management of the road, cycle and footpath network
• promotion and information activities (network user information – see below) that maximise the delivery of mode-share targets and efficiency of the transport network in support of the activity management plan
• implementation and operation of road asset management systems
• regular, routine updates to the activity management plan
• roughness and condition rating surveys
• traffic-count surveys, including pedestrian and cycle counts
• road network inspections and field validation of proposed programmes
• routine refreshing of the asset deterioration model
• maintenance and routine updating of transport models
• legalisation of existing road reserves as specified below
• management of the stock of Bailey bridges (NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) for its own activities only)
• special road maintenance, renewal or improvement related studies that do not fit the transport planning work categories’ description, for example KiwiRAP studies
• professional services for road maintenance activity classes other than for operational traffic management and emergency works.

You can discuss with us (NZTA as investor) whether other potential activities not listed above might also be eligible for inclusion in this work category.

Exclusions

Work category 151 excludes:

• professional services for developing speed management plans - development of these plans are funded as activities through work category 003, within the investment management activity class
  Work category 003: activity management planning improvement

• professional services for road maintenance activity classes for work categories 123 and 141:
  Work category 123: network operations
  Work category 141: emergency works

• expenses involved in legalisation surveys other than those specified below
• travel behaviour change activities targeted towards safety – these are funded from work category 432
  Work category 432: safety promotion, education and advertising

• continuing existing travel demand management activities that are directly attributable to passenger transport services – these can be funded as part of the public transport continuous programme work category 524
  Work category 524: public transport operations and management

• travel behaviour change activities to support the successful implementation and establishment phase of a new activity or programme of activities – these are to be funded as part of the activity or programme to which they relate.

Legalisation of existing road reserves

Legalisation of existing road reserves is limited to:

• legalisation surveys for the acquisition of land for road purposes
• legalising the stopping of formed roads
• plan fees payable to Land Information New Zealand.

Land Information New Zealand(external link)

Funding assistance rate

The usual funding assistance rate (FAR) is:

• the approved organisation's normal FAR
  Normal funding assistance rates

or

• the approved organisation’s special purpose roads FAR for the 2024–27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP)
  Other funding assistance rates

or

• 100% of NZTA (for its own activities).

Submitting activities for National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) consideration and funding approval

Approved organisations and NZTA (for its own activities) submit their network and asset management activities for NLTP consideration and funding approval using the maintenance, operations and renewals template in Transport Investment Online (TIO).

Transport Investment Online(external link)

For guidance on using TIO, see the TIO learning and guidance page on our website.

Transport Investment Online (TIO) learning and guidance

Further information

See the Professional Services and Administration Funding Policy for more details.

Professional Services and Administratiion Funding Policy

Condition of funding – road asset management system

As a condition of receiving funding assistance for road maintenance, we require the use of a road asset management system for treatment selection, which will include the following inventory data:

Roughness and condition rating surveys

Pavement condition inspections – sealed roads

Automated pavement condition inspections of all sealed roads must be undertaken at least every second year, and high-class roads must be undertaken annually.

One Network Framework

Alternative pavement condition inspection programmes and methods are acceptable. They will be considered on a case-by-case by NZTA.

Pavement condition measurement must include roughness, rutting, texture, cracking and geometry.

Condition assessment – footpath and cycle networks and drainage assets

Condition assessment of footpath and cycle networks and drainage assets should be at sufficient frequency to support regular updates to the activity management plan – that is, no less than every 3 years.

Renewal and improvement projects

The inventory database must be updated as soon as practicable after any project that affects the network is completed.

Accreditation and quality assurance requirements

The automated pavement condition inspections must be undertaken by a certified supplier, using accredited equipment, that has satisfactorily applied an ongoing quality assurance programme.

Treatment selection

Treatment selection is based on a methodology acceptable to us that takes into account the following (at the very least):

• the road structure
• the surface type and age
• the measured condition, including roughness, rutting, texture and cracking
• traffic volumes
• intervention criteria related to the above as agreed with us.

Network user information

The objective of network user information is to support and influence transport choices that contribute to the achievement of the target mode shares for the network and to ensure safety, effectiveness and efficiency of the network through:

• the safe system approach
• managing congestion and travel time reliability
• better travel choice
• making better use of existing transport capacity
• advancing a resilient transport network.

Requirements for regional councils

Regional councils may apply for funding for network user information from the maintenance activity class through work category 151, if they meet the following requirements:

• All regional council applications must be endorsed by the local authorities and demonstrate that the activities have been coordinated with local interventions to maximise the efficiency of the transport network and the capacity and function of existing assets.
• A business case or implementation plan must support the application and detail the activities that will be undertaken, demonstrate the planning linkages, and detail how the interventions (options and alternatives) were selected.
• A benefit–cost ratio must be calculated for any activity with a total cost greater than $2,000,000.
• A clear monitoring programme, including targets, should be part of the business case.
• Reporting requirements of works completed and outcomes will be required as the equivalent physical reporting is not applicable.

Regional councils must provide additional information to support the application through completion of the safety promotion, education and advertising activity list template.

Safety promotion, education and advertising – activity list template (webpage yet to come)