Heuheu st to be resurfaced

Taupo’s Heuheu Street from Tongariro St to Kaimanawa St is to receive a major roading upgrade as part of the summer roading reseal programme.

The works will be staged and will begin this week, starting with kerb and channel repairs. Work will be phased to cause the least possible disruption with much of the work being carried out at night and is expected to be completed by early December.

Transportation Manager Denis Lewis says Heuheu St is one of the busiest in Taupo and the section from Ruapehu St to Titiraupenga St in particular needs major work done. “The first section from Tongariro to Ruapehu is still in reasonable condition and will take several days to complete. However the next section from Ruapehu to Titraupenga needs major reconstruction so the contractor will need to work on sections of the road during the day to get it done as quickly as possible.”

Mr Lewis says this section will be more intensive as the road traffic lanes to be completely replaced due to the poor quality pumice soil causing the road to fail. “The road is approximately 52 years old and is showing a lot of wear and tear. It’s gone past patching now and the traffic lanes will be completely dug up and aggregate basecourse layer laid and then be finished with hot mix. The road will still be accessible but lanes will be reduced,” he said.

The contract has been let to local firm Higgins Contractors at a cost of just under $575,000. Higgins will be supplying hotmix from their newly installed hot mix plant in Rakaunui Road. Mr Lewis says the tender came in below engineer’s original estimates and also includes the Heuheu/Kaimanawa St intersection by the medical centre and some resurfacing on Spa Road at the Pihanga St/Totara St intersection.

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web: www.taupo.govt.nz