Well-prepared for winter damage to roads

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

“Huge orders” of rock and metal supplies should ensure the district’s unsealed roads are well maintained through winter.

A report to the Gisborne District Council’s assets and infrastructure committee stated that the council was forecast to spend $54 million on maintenance of its unsealed roading network over the next 10 years.

Council lifelines director David Wilson told the meeting the council had already put in “huge orders” of rock and metal supplies in anticipation of an increase in work over winter.

Mr Wilson said recent work to identify aggregate suppliers across the district also meant the council would be able to source guaranteed supplies from more localised areas, cutting down transportation costs.

A comprehensive report compiled by WSP Opus identified suppliers of aggregate from 11 suppliers “throughout the district”.

“This was put together in response to issues that have been ongoing in roading, in particular when it came to winter and getting aggregate.”

The council and Tairawhiti Roads had been competing with other parties at the same time for “very limited” supplies.

“The purpose of this, is for this year and next year, making sure we have enough supply coming in. The key thing for us is we have already placed some huge orders to make sure we have stuff when we actually start getting through April and May to be able to put an aggregate programme on.

“This is a big step forward for us as a council because it means we are taking control of who is supplying us. This will create far bigger efficiencies, not just in cartage and transport but also around being able adjust in time and have access to quarries where we need them.”

Mr Wilson said the report had also identified how much aggregate was available, as well as potential new quarry sites.

Councillor Brian Wilson praised council staff for using a “common sense” approach.

“It’s a logical thing to do and even the contractors have been saying why don’t we do this.’

Committee chairman Graeme Thomson agreed that the work would be of benefit.

“We are using metal at unprecedented rates at the moment, obviously with forestry, and not just our roads but state highways and forestry roads.”