No 1 Rd lane closure causes consternation

The installation of the final section of pipe on No 1 Rd will mean the closure of a section of road to northbound traffic.

The partial closure of a small section of No 1 Rd is set to have a big impact.

The closure of the northbound lane from property number 31, No 1 Rd, to its intersection with Te Puke Highway will start on February 22 to allow the installation of the final length of pipe associated with the Waiāri Extraction Scheme.

Thrusting will be used to create a borehole through which the pipe will then be pulled. The risk of the borehole collapsing because of pressure from vehicles driving on the road above is considered too great, prompting the closure of the northbound lane.

The result will be a round trip south to the intersection of No 1 and No 2 roads then back northward into Te Puke - a trip of close to 20km.

Originally scheduled for four weeks, contractors will extend working hours to 12-13 hours a day, potentially reducing that time by three days.

At last week's Te Puke Community Board meeting, No 1 Rd resident Andy Wichers explained that when the lane closure was first announced a group of residents met to discuss the implications.

''What it's turned into is trying to make the whole community aware with a view to reducing the time [taken to complete the work] and have vehicles coming out of No 1 Rd onto Te Puke Highway,'' he said.

At a public meeting on January 27 Tauranga City Council representatives gave an undertaking to re-examine the possibility of a stop-go traffic control that would allow traffic onto Te Puke Highway from No 1 Rd and to explore the possibility of longer working hours to reduce the length of time the road would be partially closed.

Just prior to last week's community board meeting, an update was published stating that extended working hours to 12-13 hours seven days a week would reduce the closure time by three days.

Working 24 hours was discounted on the grounds of the increase in the number of residents who would be disturbed by noise from the work.

The possibility of a stop-go control of traffic was discounted because of the impact on traffic flows on Te Puke Highway and No 1 Rd.

At last week's community board meeting Andy said the figures on which the stop-go decision was based related to peak flow, but that at off-peak times a stop-go control should be considered.

Tauranga City Council's water projects team leader Richard Conning told the meeting the mechanics of changing from the lane being closed to a stop-go system were problematic and there were health and safety concerns around making changes multiple times.

''If people miss it by one minute are they going to get angry?'' he said. ''That's why we have pulled away from this and Western Bay of Plenty don't support the stop-go.''

The management at BUPA Te Puke Country Lodge have offered space within its carpark for residents to park then walk home or back to their cars to avoid the lengthy detour.

Tauranga City Council will administer a parking pass system and pay for any marking that will be required.

The council will also assist with any traffic management measures that may be needed outside Fairhaven School on Boucher Ave due to any increases in traffic passing the school.

The city council is also working with Trevelyan's packhouse to find a recruitment office in Te Puke and is looking at other options to help prospective staff members getting to and from the packhouse for induction and packing.