The Star: September 28, 2017
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4 Thursday <strong>September</strong> <strong>28</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong><br />
News<br />
•HAVE YOUR SAY: What do you think of the condition of the<br />
city’s roads? Email bridget.rutherford@starmedia.kiwi<br />
Seven years on and our roads<br />
• By Bridget Rutherford<br />
THE STATE of more than<br />
half of the city’s roads is rated<br />
average or poorly, nearly seven<br />
years on from the February 22,<br />
2011, earthquake.<br />
<strong>The</strong> city council’s transport<br />
asset management condition indicator<br />
said 25 per cent of roads<br />
were rated average, 21 per cent<br />
poor and 14 per cent were very<br />
poor. Eighteen per cent were<br />
rated excellent and 22 per cent<br />
were good.<br />
But the city council is confident<br />
the statistics will improve<br />
in the next assessment. <strong>The</strong><br />
report was prepared for the city<br />
council’s finance and performance<br />
committee this month.<br />
Automobile Association<br />
Canterbury-West Coast<br />
district council chairman Roy<br />
Hughes said the emphasis of the<br />
roading work was wrong.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>re’s been a major<br />
downturn in tourists visiting<br />
Christchurch because they are<br />
not happy with the surface<br />
condition. Millions of dollars are<br />
being spent on changing the layouts,<br />
but not on the surfacing.”<br />
He said motorists were still<br />
having to spend a lot on suspension<br />
and tyre damage because of<br />
potholes and bumps.<br />
“Our members are very concerned<br />
that seven years on we<br />
have seen a lack of co-ordination<br />
and sequencing of repair work to<br />
improve the surfaces.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> now defunct Stronger<br />
Christchurch Infrastructure<br />
Rebuild Team, which wrapped<br />
up in December, repaired and<br />
replaced more than 1.38 million<br />
sq m of road.<br />
City council head of transport<br />
Chris Gregory said a<br />
“significant number” of roads<br />
were smoothed and resealed in<br />
last year’s programme, and that<br />
would show in the next round of<br />
assessment.<br />
POOR: <strong>The</strong><br />
roading<br />
surface<br />
around<br />
the New<br />
Brighton<br />
Rd and<br />
Wainoni Rd<br />
roundabout<br />
is bumpy.<br />
PHOTO:<br />
MARTIN<br />
HUNTER<br />
“Council will be continuing in<br />
the 17/18 sealing programme to<br />
improve the condition of roading<br />
assets.”<br />
Further smoothing of roads<br />
will be considered as part of the<br />
long term plan, he said.<br />
Mr Gregory said a significant<br />
part of SCIRT’s focus was<br />
repairing underground water<br />
and waste pipes, and the roads<br />
affected were made safe and<br />
functional by SCIRT.<br />
New Zealand Taxi Federation<br />
Canterbury president Stan<br />
Gane said taxi vehicles were<br />
still damaging wheels and tyres<br />
from potholes and bumpy roads,<br />
particularly in the east.<br />
“It’s hard to present a good,<br />
professional vehicle when we’re<br />
constantly driving on muddy<br />
and dirty roads.”<br />
Mr Gane said although the<br />
surface on newly reconfigured<br />
roads, such as St Asaph St, were<br />
good, the layout was an “absolute<br />
shambles.”<br />
It was dangerous for people<br />
getting in and out of taxis,<br />
because they could not pull off<br />
the road due to the high kerbs,<br />
he said.<br />
“We have major concerns for<br />
dropping off and picking up<br />
customers, we need to be able to<br />
pull over,” he said.<br />
<strong>The</strong> condition of the 2043km<br />
of sealed roads, and 349km of<br />
unsealed ones is assessed annually.<br />
All roads receive a roughness<br />
rating, and 25 per cent of<br />
each road gets a visual condition<br />
rating.<br />
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