MEDIA RELEASE

8 January 2019

Summer road maintenance accelerates in Northland

The NZ Transport Agency is looking to take advantage of warmer drier weather over the next few months to accelerate its state highway maintenance programme in Northland.

Before Christmas crews completed 133 kms of road re-sealing in Northland, but another 97 kms are planned before the end of summer. Road users will notice a lot of road works, but there’s no better time to complete the work, says the Transport Agency’s Northland System Manager Jacqui Hori-Hoult.

“Warm temperatures and dry air helps the new seal stick to the existing surface more effectively. Pot holes, cracks and slippery surfaces that have lost their skid resistance affect every road user by increasing the risk of crashes. Maintaining surfaces can help keep our communities and visitors safe on the highways.”

Maintenance work will continue on all state highways in Northland, but a large part of the work in January will take place in the northern part of the region between Awanui and Kaikohe and across to Paihia.

• SH1 – From Awanui to Kaitaia and to just south of Mangamuka

• Along the northernmost part of SH15 - Te Pua Road between SH1 and SH12

• Along SH11 – Puketona Road, between Puketona Junction and Haruru Falls, Paihia.

• We will also be continuing some areas of sealing work between Whangarei and Te Hana.

• A reconstruction of 170 metres of SH1 is planned at Hikurangi, north of Whangarei. That work will start early January and take up to 6 weeks.

• At the end of January, the re-sealing focus will shift to the southern side of the Brynderwyns, where road closures and night works are planned.

Ms Hori-Hoult says the Transport Agency will do everything it can to reduce disruption at maintenance sites, but it’s also important that road users are patient and observe speed limits.

“We’re making the roads better for everyone, but we need motorists to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.”

“Speed restrictions are there to protect both drivers and our workers. They also help protect windscreens and vehicle surfaces, which can be damaged when people drive too fast and flick up loose chips.”

“Even if there is no surface work happening onsite, we ask that drivers keep their speeds down to let the new surface settle – otherwise it can get ripped up, and we’ll need to start all over again.”

“It is an essential part of our programme to avoid expensive long-term repairs, and to help people have journeys on our region’s state highways that are smoother and safer.”

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey this summer. Keep up to date with:

• Traffic updates: nzta.govt.nz/traffic

• Facebook: facebook.com/nztaakl

• Twitter: twitter.com/nztaakl

• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz

• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)

• Electric Vehicle charge stations: www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/ev-chargers

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