Better drainage, safety and road surface for Mangawhais Insley Street

Mangawhai’s Insley Street will get a smoother roadway without open roadside drains and getting to school will be easier and safer for Mangawhai Beach School students thanks to works being carried out by Kaipara District Council.

Insley Street is Mangawhai’s main access from the south and HEB Construction Limited began work last week on an $824,770 contract which includes major improvements to stormwater drainage, road reconstruction and building a new footpath/cycleway.

Deep open drains on the eastern side of the street have been the subject of ongoing concern and the contract will see 440 metres between Moir Street and the harbour outlet filled in and piped.

600 metres of roadway in Insley Street plus 360 metres in Tomarata Road are being reconstructed and re-sealed. Insley Street will have a painted central median strip as far as the estuary.

A new footpath/cycleway is planned for the eastern side of Insley Street from Moir Street to the school and other works include providing pick-up/drop-off bays at the school and a Kea Crossing to slow traffic and protect the children at its entrance.

As much as possible will be done during the school holidays to minimise disruption to the school. Also, work will cease from Christmas until 5 January 2009 to avoid inconveniencing residents and visitors at this busy time.

However, Kaipara District Council and the contractors point out that these are major works and ask the public to exercise patience and care.

Mangawhai Beach Primary School Principal, Neil Robinson, is “absolutely delighted”, saying, “The drains often have deep dirty water and there is always the worry that a child might fall in.”

“The work will improve traffic flows and make it easier and safer to enter or leave school while the designated drop off and pick-up points will relieve pressure on the car park.”

Mr Robinson says the new footpath/cycleway will remove the need for children to make a difficult crossing further up the street and should encourage more to walk or cycle to school as safety concerns make some parents reluctant to let their children ride now.

“We really appreciate the Council spending a lot of money and also that it is doing everything it can to minimise the disruption to us.”

Councillor Julia Sutherland, who holds the Southern Stormwater portfolio and is a local resident, says the work is overdue and is delighted to see it underway.

“For years, individuals and community groups in Mangawhai have asked for something to be done about the drains because they were not only deep and potentially dangerous, but also a repository for all sorts of litter and often an eyesore.

“It's great; we'll have a more attractive, safer, cleaner and more pedestrian - friendly approach to the Village,” she says.

“Because it is such a major job on such a thoroughfare it will be a case of 'grinning and bearing' the inconvenience, I'm afraid, but well worth it in the end.”