Road’s condition of ruts and corrugations concerns
OMAUI
AN unsealed road in a town near Invercargill has residents concerned, but council says sealing it is less costeffective than repair work.
Omaui resident John Collins said most recently a washout after heavy rain had caused an issue with the gravelled Omaui and MokoMoko Rds.
However, he said problems were continual.
‘‘Increasing numbers of people are using this road — there’s more development going on out here and more people living out here.’’
The beach had also become popular, he said.
‘‘Large amounts of vehicles are going over the roads and when council sends someone, it’s good for about a day or two days and then right back to normal — all corrugated and whatnot,’’ Mr Collins said.
He said the longterm issues needed to be dealt with, as visitors and residents, including senior citizens, did not all have fourwheeldrive vehicles.
One particular patch of damage had been there for a month, he said.
‘‘It’s a health and safety issue, its dangerous in places and needs to be fixed pronto,’’ he told Invercargill City Council (ICC) in a phone call.
When asked about the damage, council roading manager Russell Pearson told the Otago Daily Times staff and contractors had gone to see it to prepare for repairs, which he believed would be done this week.
In the financial year ending June 2020, the council received seven requests for service in relation to this piece of roading — Omaui and MokoMoko Rds — but the council did not have plans or the budget to seal any gravel roads in its district.
‘‘In order to seal a road, typically, there is far more work and cost involved than just the ‘top seal layer’ being applied — there needs to be an appropriate foundation beneath the seal which has to be strong enough, and the shape and drainage need to be adjusted as roads which are sealed normally have less crossfall.’’
He said with ongoing maintenance, overall, a sealed road cost more a year than maintaining an unsealed road.
‘‘At this stage it is more costeffective to maintain and repair these roads than to seal [and maintain] them.’’