Slippery pavers to become a thing of the past

Paving stones in Whangarei's Central City are to be treated with a solution that will make them less slippery.

​The mystery behind the slipperiness of the pavers in central Whangarei has been solved and a solution is about to be applied – literally.

The pavers have small holes in their surfaces that capture dust and grime during dry periods, even when the pavers are swept and cleaned.

In addition, the slightly rough surface the pavers have when new becomes smooth through wear by foot traffic over the years.

When it rains water soaks into the holes in the surface of the pavers and mixes with the dust to create a slippery “slurry” that, in combination with the foot-smoothed surface has contributed to numerous slips and falls.

The good news for those who avoid venturing into the central paved areas in wet weather is that a special liquid is soon to be applied to the pavers that fills the tiny holes, preventing dust and grime from penetrating, and swells slightly on contact with water, creating a slightly rougher surface on the tops ofthe pavers in wet weather.

The system has already been used in a few places around Whangarei and better grip and fewer falls have been reported in these areas.

“We had a plan in place to treat these pavers progressively over a five-year cycle, starting with the most slip-prone areas, but we are now going to do the entire paved area in the next few months,” said Council’s Group Manager Infrastrucuture and Services, Simon Weston.

“This decision came out of public consultation on future development proposals for the mall, as part of our enhancement of the city’s ‘sense of place’.

It provided a good opportunity to combine a couple of budgets within Council to achieve something that will greatly enhance people’s sense of safety in the area.”