Slow down and be safe on Waikato and Bay of Plenty roads this summer
Motorists are being urged to take care on the roads and allow extra time when travelling this summer, with a
number of maintenance and safety projects underway in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions.
The NZ Transport Agency’s regional performance manager Karen Boyt says an extensive programme of reconstruction and
resealing is planned between now and April next year.
“For most people summer is a time to get outdoors, head to the beach and have fun but it’s also a time when our
contractors are busy repairing road surfaces and carrying out important safety improvements,” she says.
Ms Boyt acknowledges that road works can be dusty, noisy and, at times, frustrating for drivers, but says the work does
ensure there are better and safer roads for everyone to travel on.
“Summer is the best time to reseal our roads as warmer temperatures and dry air helps new seal to stick to the road
surface.
“Cold ground conditions, wet weather and moisture mean we cannot carry out this maintenance work during the winter
months.
“We try to minimise the impacts of the work but people can expect short delays due to speed restrictions and stop/ go
traffic control.
“We hope the travelling public understand the importance of these works and we thank them for their patience.”
Ms Boyt says it is critical that motorists slow down and observe the speed restrictions through work sites.
“Resealing and reconstruction work involves heavy machinery, loose metal, bitumen and cement - that’s why speed
restrictions are needed,” she says.
“Speeding through the sites can be dangerous for road workers and other motorists, as well as causing damage to the
work.”
“We specially ask motorists to obey the speed restrictions where sealing work is underway or just completed. This not
only helps to settle in the new surface but will prevent stone chips from flying up onto passing vehicles.”
Ms Boyt says there will be no work on state highways in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions between December 24, 2014
and January 5, 2015, or on Auckland Anniversary Weekend or Waitangi Day.
“However, there will be speed restrictions in place, even when the sites are unoccupied, and we ask everyone observes
these restrictions which are there to protect the works which are in the process of being completed,” she says.
Summer is also the time when major projects get built – like the new roundabout south of Tirau, another being built at
the SH2/25 intersection in north Waikato, and one about to start at SH3/37 – the turnoff to the Waitomo Caves.
The Cambridge and Rangiriri sections of the Waikato Expressway are still under construction, along with the Tauranga
Eastern Link project in the Bay.
Find out more about the Waikato summer works programme atwww.nzta.govt.nz/waikato-maintence
or Bay of Plenty at
For real time information on highway conditions and incidents visitwww.nzta.govt.nz call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS or follow @nztawaibop on twitter.
For personalised information about driving conditions on their frequently used routes, motorists can check out and sign
up to On The Move at www.onthemove.govt.nz.
ENDS