SUPPLIED
Motorists are being urged to take care on the roads and allow extra time when travelling this summer, with a number of maintenance and safety projects underway in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato.
The NZ Transport Agency's regional performance manager Karen Boyt said an extensive programme of reconstruction and resealing was planned between now and April next year.
"For most people summer is a time to get outdoors, head to the beach and have fun but it's also a time when our contractors are busy repairing road surfaces and carrying out important safety improvements," she said.
Ms Boyt acknowledged that road works can be dusty, noisy and, at times, frustrating for drivers, but said the work ensured there were better and safer roads for everyone to travel on.
"Summer is the best time to reseal our roads as warmer temperatures and dry air helps new seal to stick to the road surface.
"Cold ground conditions, wet weather and moisture mean we cannot carry out this maintenance work during the winter months.
"We try to minimise the impacts of the work but people can expect short delays due to speed restrictions and stop/ go traffic control.
"We hope the travelling public understand the importance of these works and we thank them for their patience."
Ms Boyt said it was critical that motorists slowed down and observed the speed restrictions through work sites.
"Resealing and reconstruction work involves heavy machinery, loose metal, bitumen and cement - that's why speed restrictions are needed," she said.
"Speeding through the sites can be dangerous for road workers and other motorists, as well as causing damage to the work.
"We specially ask motorists to obey the speed restrictions where sealing work is underway or just completed. This not only helps to settle in the new surface but will prevent stone chips from flying up onto passing vehicles."
Ms Boyt said there would be no work on state highways in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions between December 24, 2014 and January 5, 2015, or on Auckland Anniversary Weekend or Waitangi Day.
"However, there will be speed restrictions in place, even when the sites are unoccupied, and we ask everyone observes these restrictions which are there to protect the works which are in the process of being completed," she said.
Summer is also the time when major projects get built - like the new roundabout south of Tirau, another being built at the SH2/25 intersection in north Waikato, and one about to start at SH3/37 - the turnoff to the Waitomo Caves.
The Cambridge and Rangiriri sections of the Waikato Expressway are still under construction, along with the Tauranga Eastern Link project in the Bay.
Find out more about the Bay of Plenty works at www.nzta.govt.nz/bay-of-plenty-maintenance.
For real time information on highway conditions and incidents visit www.nzta.govt.nz call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS or follow @nztawaibop on Twitter.
For personalised information about driving conditions on their frequently used routes, motorists can check out and sign up to On The Move at www.onthemove.govt.nz.