Dismay as nine months of roadworks loom

Nine months of roadworks are about to disrupt a busy Christchurch road, worrying small businesses in the area.

On Monday, crews will start works on Richmond’s North Avon Rd, between Hills Rd and North Pde, to rebuild the footpaths, curbs and road surface, move some utilities and repair stormwater pipes beneath the road.

A 1.8-metre wide cycleway will be installed on both sides of the road, and the affected stretch will lose 34 carparks from the current 97. The project will cost $4.2 million.

Christchurch City Council acting transport planning and delivery manager Michael Jacobson said contractors would work on different road sections at the same time to get the project done as quickly as possible.

He said there would be no on-street parking during the work, but the road would be open to two-way traffic as much as possible.

The council was ‘‘conscious’’ of the inconvenience the work would cause businesses and residents in the area, but drivers had ‘‘put up with navigating their way through potholes and uneven surfaces’’ since the earthquakes.

‘‘We’re eager to get cracking on reconstructing North Avon Rd so that we can get the footpaths and roadway in a better condition.’’

Jacobson said the main reason for removing carparks was to provide a safe pedestrian crossing and improve intersections with side roads.

Richmond Village Book and Post Centre co-owner Trish Booner said she did not know how the business would cope with nine months of roadworks.

Many customers dropped in when

"We had it last year and a couple of years before and it just kills the business."

Business co-owner Trish Booner

they went past on North Avon Rd.

‘‘We’ve had this before, we had it last year and a couple of years before and it just kills the business.

‘‘They can come into the car park, but a lot won’t.’’

Jacobson said the post box out front, which customers used, would move 22 metres towards Stanmore Rd. She would ‘‘grin and bear’’ the frustrating situation.

North Avon Pharmacy is in the same complex.

‘‘Certainly my initial reaction when they started talking about it was ‘oh no, not more roadworks’,’’ owner Duncan Hurren said.

‘‘It’s certainly not the worst street I drive down . . . The water pipes and things, obviously, are essential things they need to do.’’

Hurren said his main concern was access to the business during the works, which the council had promised.

The pharmacy has a car park behind the building, but Hurren said it was ‘‘a little bit of a frustration’’ drivers would have to pull off North Avon Rd.

Council data from 2013 (the most recent available) shows about 14,000 vehicles use North Avon Rd each day. The busiest time is 4pm to 5pm, which averaged 1487 vehicles.

The project was originally due to start in early 2017. Jacobson said a detailed design and tender process delayed the work by 12 months. JFC Ltd is the contractor.