Waterfront repairs delay roadworks
Planned road reconstruction for Nelson’s Rocks Rd will be postponed until after the footpath and seawall are fixed, but the 30km/h speed limit will remain as other works continue.
The coastal State Highway 6 took a battering in last week’s king tide and storm event, washing away a section of footpath, devastating historic waterfront buildings, and damaging the seawall.
New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) spokesperson Andrew Knackstedt said the ‘‘major resurfacing renewal’’ between the Basin reserve and Magazine Point, which had been planned for this month, would be deferred.
‘‘The planned road reconstruction is unlikely to be done until the footpath and seawall are fixed,’’ he said.
Specialist engineers were working through options to fix the seawall and make both it, and the footpath, more resilient to future weather events.
‘‘Design work for seawall repairs is already underway and the construction work, including footpath repairs, is expected to be finished within two months,’’ Knackstedt said.
The major road reconstruction and resurfacing work would need to take place during summer months, so would be deferred.
It would involve making improvements to drains and kerbs, and rebuilding and resurfacing the road surface as the existing road material and pavement had ‘‘lost its shape and strength’’.
The maintenance was expected to take about seven weeks and is now expected to be rescheduled for next summer.
Knackstedt said the cost of reinstating the seawall and footpath over the coming months wouldn’t be clear until NZTA had finished the design.
In the meantime, works on the Rocks Rd cliff-face would continue, and some interim repairs to the footpath would be completed next week.
‘‘The 30km/h speed restriction will remain in place until works are completed in order to ensure the safety of pedestrians and motorists,’’ Knackstedt said.
As well as the Rocks Rd construction works, NZTA is due to start work on a new shared path work between the Maitai River and Rocks Road. Contractors would begin on February 12.
‘‘This will largely be in the road shoulder so there will be little, if any, impact on motorists,’’ he said. ‘‘For cyclists and pedestrians, please follow the instructions of the road crews and detour signage.’’