Roading reseals ready to roll out in Mid Canterbury
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Mid Canterbury roads will get an extra 50km of road resealing after the council dipped into ratepayer funds to cover the cost.
The Ashburton District Council decided to use $2.46 million of ratepayer money after there was a shortfall in the NZ Transport Agency funding.
The council aims to complete an extra 50km of road resealing on top of the already planned 60km of NZTA-subsidised reseals.
Infrastructure and open spaces group manager Neil McCann said staff selected roads that would ensure the additional work was done as soon as possible.
The contractor has been given the selected sites to be completed by the end of March, he said.
“We’ll monitor that and make sure we can get as close to 50km done.”
As part of the selection process, staff found priority roads that didn’t require significant pre-seal work, he said.
“The sites selected are from the forward work programme, but ones that require minimal pre-reseal repairs, have relatively long lengths, and [are] having a single coat chip seal.
“They have been selected according to the need of being sealed before the cracks open up and water gets in and causes potholes.”
The 27 unsubsidised reseal sites are for pothole prevention rather than pothole repairs, he said.
When the council was deciding how to allocate the $2.4m last month, mayor Neil Brown had suggested putting it all into extra reseals, calling it "preventative maintenance” to avoid the roads cracking and forming potholes.
The extra reseals will push the total past 100km, doubling up on last year’s 49.5km of road resealing.
The estimated cost of the 50.8km of reseals added to the programme is $2.03m, which could leave around $400,000 in the roading budget to allocate to other work.
“We will wait and see if there is much left after doing the reseals before deciding what to spend the remainder on, as it will depend on available time and the season,” McCann said.
Major unsubsidised reseal sites:
Ashburton Staveley Rd 5.8km
Back Track 3.5km (4 sites)
Barkers Rd 5km
Chertsey Kyle Rd 6.4km
Dromore Methven Rd 5170 (2)
Hinds Arundel Rd 6395 (4)
Rakaia River Rd 5.6km
Springfield Rd East 3.7km
Timaru Track Rd 4.2km
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.5% Yes
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46.5% No
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
Turn Wallpaper Scraps into Beautiful Blossoms
These blossoms made from Resene wallpaper left over after decorating will mean your décor will be blooming gorgeous, no matter the season. Find out how to create your own wallpaper flowers with these easy step by step instructions.
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