Storm-Damaged Roads Repaired

A $1 million programme to fix roads damaged by a storm in March is just about finished.

Nearly three months rain fell on parts of the Far North when a 36-hour storm lashed the district from July 18 to July 20.

About 50 roads maintained by the Council were closed or partly-closed by fallen trees, slips or floodwaters at the height of the storm.

Council contractors were able to remove trees and clear roads buried by landslides in the days following the storm.

But repairing roads that subsided, slumped or suffered surface damage has taken longer.

Infrastructure and asset manager David Penny says contractors have now completed all road repairs in the southern area of the district where the Council responded to more than 60 requests for service.

They expect to complete repairs to roads in the northern area before the end of July, taking the total number of repairs to more than 100.

Mr Penny says it has cost up to $100,000 to repair some roads that subsided in the storm.

These included Waiare Road, where a section of road fell into the Kaeo River, and Fern Flat Road near Peria where traffic had been reduced to one lane.

The Council will soon invite tenders for work to repair more problematic roads damaged by previous storm events.

These include repairs to two slips on West Coast Road in the North Hokianga and repairs to Parnell Street, Rawene, where unstable land has caused ongoing damage to the road.

Mr Penny says the New Zealand Transport Agency will fund 65% of the $1 million repair costs, with the balance coming from ratepayer funds.

The Council spends more than half its annual budget maintaining its road network which is New Zealand’s third largest.