Then you unwrap the gift and find a pair of socks! Major disappointment. It’s the same feeling when we see the pavement fail within a matter of weeks.
There’s a good indication NZTA is listening to our concerns at both government and local levels in supplying fit-for-purpose roads. NZTA’s 2024/25 programme has it renewing over 1,800 lane kilometres, which is approximately 7.5% of the network and consists of:
- Resealing: Stone chips are spread over a layer of hot sprayed bitumen or emulsion. These can take some time to bed into the existing road surface, and excess chip is swept off the road after a couple of days.
- Resurfacing: The existing road surface is removed, and a pre-made mix of stone chips, bitumen and other products is laid in its place.
- Rebuilding: The existing road surface and underlying road structure (pavement) is removed and replaced with new materials. This is also known as pavement rehabilitation and can involve the recycling of existing material.
However, in saying this, if you have areas of concern, please take a photo, if safe to do so, and email me with the location so I can forward through your concern.
Key issues at a glance:
- Poor quality repairs: The excitement of seeing repairs underway often turns into frustration when the pavement fails within weeks.
- Common causes:
- Moisture-sensitive materials.
- Inadequate drainage systems.
- Weakness in thin asphalt layers under high stress.
- Material inconsistencies and premature wear on new pavements.
- Standards in construction and maintenance.
- Regional impacts: From Far North to Taranaki and Manawatu-Whanganui, these issues cause delays, impact travel times, and increase wear and tear on vehicles.
Positive developments:
- The Mangamukas rebuild represents a significant step forward. This project, set to open on December 20, is a prime example of investment ($100M+) aimed at lasting infrastructure improvements.
- Mt Messenger is another transformative project promising long-term benefits for the freight sector, including reduced delays and costs.
Opportunities to build on progress:
- Ensuring strict adherence to construction standards and regular maintenance checks.
- Incorporating innovative materials and technologies to address the recurring issues (e.g. better drainage, high-durability asphalt).
- Collaborating with local stakeholders including freight and community representatives to ensure repair works align with needs and expectations.
The way forward:
It’s encouraging that progress is visible but ongoing vigilance is needed to prevent the same failures from repeating. Celebrating milestones like the Mangamukas opening is essential but so is sustaining the momentum to lift the standards for road repairs nationwide.
It’s been lovely to catch up with many of you over the year. For those I am still yet to visit, I will be in touch.
I wish you and your families a safe holiday period and a Merry Christmas and hope 2025 is a more prosperous one for you all.
Stay safe
Paula
