Road reserve trees to be removed

Unsafe trees will be removed from a section of the Coronet Peak Road in work due to commence early next year Queenstown Lakes District Council network operations engineer Ian Marshall said.
“The work is part of the upgrade of the road that will see the larger pine trees removed from the bottom 2 km section,” Mr Marshall said.

The trees had not only been identified as being unsafe and a harbour of wilding pine they also caused a shading problem in the winter. “That in turn adds to both the freeze thaw issues on the road and ice issues,” Mr Marshall said. The cost of the work would be offset through the sale of the wood, with the final cost estimated to be $20,000. The section would be resealed after the removal.

In addition to the pavement renewal on the bottom section of the road, a $900,000, 2km rehabilitation project will also be undertaken in the section immediately below the Skippers Road turn-off. The road will remain open once that work gets underway from 5 January; although some short delays should be expected.

In other work scheduled for the early New Year, the $1 million upgrade of the section of Malaghans Road between the Remarkables Vets entrance and the Arrowtown Lake Hayes Road intersection is programmed for reconstruction in mid to late January.

“As part of these works a number of large poplar trees are required to be removed to allow for widening of the road,” QLDC project manager Steve Hewland said.

The trees affected were on the north side of the road from Manse Road to a point approximately 100m west of the Millbrook entrance and were likely to create safety issues at some point in the future.

“The existing poplar trees further west of this point will be retained,” he said.
Some trees will also be removed on the north side of the road within the vicinity of the Arrowtown Lakes Hayes Road intersection.

“The removal of trees is necessary for the road construction work to be completed and will also improve safety and visibility in the vicinity of the intersections,” Mr Hewland said. Appropriate replacement planting would be completed as part of the project.

Meanwhile the council had called for tenders for the removals of aging poplar trees on Lower Shotover Road.

“Given the fact that the trees may pose a threat in high winds, in the interim the road will be temporarily closed if wind becomes an issue,’ Mr Marshall said. It was hoped the trees could be felled in January.