Chip seal storm: Pāpāmoa streets wage war on 'inferior' road surface resealing

Pāpāmoa residents Chris Phayer, Ron Melville and Rod Simpson are among those not happy with the resealing of Oriental Parade. Photo / George Novak

Pāpāmoa residents enjoying life with roads of hot mix seal are calling on Tauranga City Council to avoid resurfacing their neighbourhood with cheaper, less adequate chip seal. Some have said doing so would take them back to "the dark ages". Reporter Samantha Motion investigates.

Residents of several Pāpāmoa streets are waging war on Tauranga City Council's use of chip seal to resurface roads in "premium" subdivisions.

Two petitions were presented to a council committee meeting yesterday- one complaining about a "shocking" chip seal job and another wanting to avoid a repeat.

Residents have called on the council to ditch its policy that favours using chip seal for low-traffic residential streets.

In the first petition, 173 people wanted plans to resurface Santa Monica Dr with chip seal halted.

Chris Phayer, Ron Melville and Rod Simpson on chip sealed Oriental Parade. Photo / George Novak

Ron Melville spoke on behalf of petitioners, saying the current hot mix seal was "laid 25 years ago as part of the premium Royal Palms sub-division".

"It's a smooth, quiet, no mess, no tar bleed surface, and can be seen to have stood the test of time," Melville said.

The residents did not think the road needed resurfacing, did not want it replaced with chip seal and wanted consultation before any future resurfacing.

In the second petition, 60 residents of Oriental Parade, Oreti Cres and Bucklands Cres spoke out about the "poor quality chip resealing" in their area done by council contractors last year.

Oriental Parade resident Rod Simpson said he and others were "taken aback" by the resealing in October or November, saying it took the street "back into what I call the dark ages".

The petitioners presented a video showing the difference between the old seal and the new seal.

Oreti Cres resident Chris Phayer said the seal was already breaking down and there were issues with potholes, stripping and loose chips ending up on neighbouring properties.

He said the residents supported those in Santa Monica Drive: "We've got what they fear."

Phayer called for someone independent of the council and contractor to inspect the road.

Council network operations team leader Phil Consedine said the council raised issues with the workmanship on the job with the contractor, which had a 12-month maintenance period.

The council would also arrange to meet with the petitioners to discuss the seal and arrange for a further inspection.

Oriental Parade at the intersection of Bucklands Cres before the resealing. Image / Google

Council transport operations manager Martin Parkes said staff would defer the Santa Monica work to the next resealing season, though the surface had started breaking down and may need repairs to remain watertight.

Tauranga spent about $3 million a year on resurfacing, carried out by contractors.

He said the difference between chip seal and hot mix was aesthetics and cost.

Hot mix was smoother and quieter but four or five times more expensive. However, it lasted longer.

Since a policy change around 2012, the council resealed a large volume of residential streets that were previously hot mix with chip seal.

Oriental Parade at the intersection of Bucklands Cres after the resealing. Image / Google

"Most have been accepted but there has been kickback from a number of residents," Parkes said.

Councillor Rick Curach said his street was one of the first to change from hot mix to chip seal after the policy change and "I wouldn't wish it on anybody".

Strategy and growth general manager Christine Jones said the policy change was made after the NZ Transport Agency said it would not help fund "like for like" resealing. It would only fund fit for purpose work.

The issue would be considered as part of the next Annual Plan.

That would include an investigation into a targeted rate for neighbourhoods that wanted to retain the hot mix.

Councillor Steve Morris said that while he believed it was time to have that conversation with the community, he feared the administration of such a rate would be "a nightmare".

The council's use of chipsealing has long been a bugbear for the Pāpāmoa Residents and Ratepayers Association.

Chairman Philip Brown told the Bay of Plenty Times chipsealing increased noise, looked untidy, and leached tar and metal on to garage floors and pavements.

"In all, it is a cheap and backwards step."

He said the association supported the residents who spoke out today, and wanted to see the council to provide more information about its resealing policy, the reasons for it and the associated costs and standards.