Drought impacts Northland road maintenance
Northland’s drought is hampering maintenance on many of the region’s unsealed roads.
Northland’s drought is hampering maintenance on many of the region’s unsealed roads.
Northland Transportation Alliance (NTA) manager, Calvin Thomas, says extremely dry conditions caused by the current drought are making normal maintenance work difficult or even counterproductive.
“We rely on a minimum level of ground moisture to bond graded gravel to the road’s sub surface. Currently, there’s just no moisture there.”
He says that in normal conditions, grading creates a relatively long-wearing surface that can last until the next scheduled maintenance. “When the conditions are right, regular grading and topping up of the gravel keeps the road in good order.
“This summer, the ground is so dry the gravel and clay underneath cannot bond. Cutting deeper to remove corrugations and pot holes in such these conditions often does more damage to the road, only makes a difference for a few days, and usually causes an increase in complaints.”
He says contractors share the community’s frustrations, but are urging road users to be patient, drive to the conditions and keep reporting dangerous road conditions to their council. The NTA will assess each section of road reported to decide what repairs are possible.
The NTA is a collaboration between Kaipara District Council, Whangarei District Council, Far North District Council, Northland Regional Council and NZ Transport Agency (NZTA). The alliance has combined staff, services and resources and was formed to increase consistency and services for all Northland road users.