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How we look after our roads

Who looks after roads

We have a partnership with several local contractors, who take care of the maintenance on our District’s roads, footpaths, streetlights, signs, guardrails, street sweeping and vegetation. No matter how you travel, the roads and facilities should be in good condition and safe to use. We carry out regular monitoring of the network and with our local contractors we develop forward work programmes depending on what the road corridor needs. The three main types are:

  • Cyclic maintenance
  • Pavement and drainage renewals
  • Streetscapes, sweeping, and drain cleaning

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is responsible for all maintenance and operational aspects of the state highways that connect our District (i.e. between the kerb lines).

Private roads

We don't maintain private roads, paper roads or private right of ways.

If you have a driveway that crosses through our Road Reserve (including some shared driveways), it is your responsibility to take care of it. This includes maintaining the driveway itself, as well as any retaining walls or pipes that run under it.

Fences

We don't maintain private fences.

If you have a structure, like a fence, on the road reserve without an agreement with us, you may be required to remove it at your own cost.

Maintenance

Maintenance is the mahi (work) we do to keep things in good condition. It includes both planned and responsive tasks.

  • Planned maintenance: This is work we schedule regularly to meet a basic standard of service. We routinely perform these activities to keep everything running smoothly.
  • Responsive maintenance: This is work we do in response to issues that come up. This can be in response to reports we get, incidents or even weather events.

Renewals

Over time, regular road maintenance isn’t enough, and more significant work is needed, such as resurfacing or rehabilitating the road. These types of projects are carefully planned and usually take place during the summer. You’ll be notified about any resurfacing or road rehabilitation in your area, before work begins, depending on the location and how much it might affect you.

A newly marked road with double white lines in a suburban area, with houses and greenery on either side, under a clear blue sky.

Surface renewals help protect the road, similar to how repainting your house protects it from the elements. There are two common methods:

  • Chipseal Renewal (Chipsealing): We apply a layer of bitumen (a sticky, tar-like substance), followed by a layer of small stones (chip). Sometimes, we add multiple layers of bitumen and chip. This new surface is between 5-15mm thick. Chipsealing can be done during the day or night, as long as the weather is dry and warm enough. Most chipsealing projects are completed within a day.
  • Asphalt Renewal (Asphalting): This is carried out in specific areas due to the high costs involved. First, we remove the old road surface through a process called milling. Then, we pave the road with new asphalt, which is usually 40-55mm thick. Asphalting can also be done day or night, but it’s typically done at night due to the complexity of the work. Some sites may take several days to complete.
A construction site with a road grader working on a newly paved road, surrounded by dirt mounds and safety cones, under a cloudy sky during sunset.

Rehabs are more extensive projects that involve rebuilding the entire road when it has reached the end of its life. This may also involve adding more layers, widening, safety or drainage improvements to the road. Rehabs can be finished with either chipseal or asphalt.

  • Timing: Rehabs are usually done during the day and can take several weeks or longer to complete due to the complexity of the work.
  • Traffic Management: to ensure the safety of all road users, workers and pedestrians, traffic management is required. This may cause unpreventable delays, even some road closures to help ensure the safety of all.

Whenever we undertake road resurfacing or rehabs, we try to do as much as possible, including drainage improvements, other repairs, safety upgrades, and line marking changes.

Line markings. After the new road surface has settled, usually within a week or two, we repaint the road markings. In some areas, for safety reasons, we paint the lines as soon as possible after the resealing. Then, once the surface has fully settled, we touch up the lines as needed.

We also programme an annual refreshing of line marking when required to keep them clear and visible.

Streetscapes, Sweeping, and Drain Clearing

Our District’s streetscapes, which include footpaths, and roads, need regular care to stay clean and beautiful. Here's how we manage them:

1. Vegetation Management

We have an agreed level of service for managing vegetation along our roads.

To keep these spaces safe and well-maintained, we use a variety of vegetation management methods. Sometimes, traffic management is required to ensure the team can work safely, especially in busy areas. While we prefer to use non-chemical methods whenever possible, there are situations where the use of agrichemicals is necessary.

  • Safety and Standards: Any chemicals we use are carefully chosen and must meet strict safety standards. All agrichemicals are approved under the Growsafe Specification and comply with New Zealand Standard NZS8409 - Code of Practice for the Management of Agrichemicals. (link to NZS8409)
  • Public notifications: We make sure to publicly notify all planned agrichemical applications across the Western Bay District to keep the community informed. You can check these out on our public notices on our website and newspaper.
  • We have a no-spray register that residents can apply to be registered by contacting info@westernbay.govt.nz .

2. Clearing Grates and Catchpits

To prepare for winter or heavy rains, we regularly maintain and clear the catchpits and grates around the rohe (District). This work helps prevent flooding by ensuring that stormwater systems are functioning properly, keeping water flowing smoothly through the streets even during wet weather.

Streetlights

We maintain streetlights except for those down private lanes, which are the responsibility of property owners (contact an electrical contractor for assistance). Most of our District’s streetlights use cost-efficient LED bulbs, and the lights are maintained and serviced by our contractors.

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