Ashhurst bypass delayed

Property negotiations are delaying a bypass of a once-quiet town near the Manawatū Gorge that is now inundated with traffic.

It’s the second gorge-related delay announced by the NZ Transport Agency inside a week after officials said they would not be choosing an alternative route until next year.

Since the Manawatū Gorge road closed in April, there has been more traffic flowing through Salisbury St, Ashhurst, on to the Saddle Rd.

The gorge road is closed indefinitely because of unstable rock, forcing Manawatū -Hawke’s Bay traffic to use the Saddle Rd or Pahiatua Track instead.

Salisbury St residents experiencing sleepless nights were supposed to have their quiet country street back by mid-2018. But a delay means the NZ Transport Agency now hopes to have a bypass completed by the end of 2018.

In September, transport agency spokesman Ross I’anson said work was expected to start by December 2017, but on Friday, he said construction wouldn’t start until the first quarter of 2018, and work would take up to seven months.

This comes just days after the transport agency announced it was deferring a decision on a preferred alternative route to the Manawatū Gorge until next year.

There are four options for an alternative route to State Highway 3 through the gorge, which were supposed to be whittled down to one by mid-december, but I’anson said the transport agency needed to have further discussions before committing to a route.

The news of a delay to the Ashhurst bypass comes as no surprise to residents, but they are still disappointed as speeding traffic and loud engine brakes dominate a street that is now used as a highway.

Nic Green, who lives on the corner of Salisbury and Mulgrave streets, said he’d be surprised if the bypass was finished by the next election.

‘‘When they were making the first decision there was an election going on.’’

During the 2017 election, the Manawatū Gorge was a key talking point for the region, but now it wasn’t, Green said.

‘‘I was hoping they were going to get on with it. [But] I don’t expect there to be a bypass any time soon.’’

In the short term, introducing speed restrictions could be one way to alleviate the speeding problem, Green said.

‘‘They seem to be going rather fast.’’

Resurfacing on Salisbury St, to minimise noise pollution, was helpful, but engine brakes and speedy motorists were still a nuisance, he said.

Roads were resurfaced with asphaltic concrete in September to reduce noise and vibrations.

I’anson said there had been some delays due to a court process and ongoing property negotiations.

‘‘We don’t know how long that process is going to take.’’

Salisbury St resident Roz Robinson said the transport agency was doing its best.

Robinson lived on a back section so the noisy traffic was bearable, but she said the extra traffic was tough on neighbours.

A Salisbury St resident, who did not want to be named, said he was constantly woken up by the traffic.

Traffic went past at ‘‘a rate of knots’’, which could make it difficult for him to get out of his driveway, but there was nothing that could be done other than wait, he said.

The transport agency is yet to confirm where the bypass will go.