Business thanked for works patience
Locals and business have been thanked for their patience during the rebuilding of Peel St in Waipukurau, which finally reopened last week after resealing.
Preparations for the works began in mid-April, and by mid-May Peel St was closed to through traffic to enable the road pavement to be rebuilt.
At the time CHB district council said it expected the road to be closed for four weeks. But due to weather delays, the newly constructed road only re-opened last Thursday after the completion of road markings.
Council said it instigated the Peel St rebuild due to ongoing past road surface failures, where investigations found the supporting structure of the road was insufficient to support the current traffic loading, accentuated by increased commercial vehicle movements.
To strengthen the road structure, Peel St was excavated to a depth of 550mm and replaced with new granular material. Council said it made a cost benefit decision to incorporate an upgrade of the existing water main as part of the excavation works.
Installation of a new 150mm water pipe from Herbert St to Northumberland St and a 250mm pipe between Peel St and Marlborough St, in addition to new service connections to nearby properties, will increase water carrying capacity and improve resilience of the low pressure watermain system in the area.
Alignment improvements to the kerb and channel should result in better commercial vehicle traffic flow around the Peel/ Herbert St intersection, council said.
The works would significantly affect businesses and required considerable public engagement and consultation, it said.
Weather caused delays, and the council thanked local businesses and the local community for their patience.
“We have focused on our community’s objectives from Project Thrive and delivered smart growth and durable infrastructure, achieving the best long-term benefits for our community,” said Josh Lloyd, council’s group manager — community development and infrastructure.
The major project had been delivered within budget.