Wet and windy weather along with freight delays have caused recent setbacks for the Fitzherbert Ave extension.
Photo / Bevan Conley
Wet and windy weather along with freight delays have caused recent setbacks for the Fitzherbert Ave extension.
Photo / Bevan Conley
Weather and freight delays are hampering Whanganui's Fitzherbert Ave to Mosston Rd extension.
Whanganui District Council senior roading engineer Brent Holmes said last month a time extension had been agreed between the council and the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) to extend the proposed completion date to August31.
But this week Holmes said progress had been slowed.
"Weather conditions have slowed down progress on the Fitzherbert Avenue site, along with the [lack of] availability of materials due to freight delays," he said.
Holmes said the council was also doing some extra cost recoverable work for adjacent developers - installing private service connections - while its main contractor was on site.
At this stage of the project, it was hoped that sealing of the new road would be under way however contractors were laying more pipes when the Chronicle visited the site on Tuesday.
Contactors working at the Mosston Rd end of the Fitzherbert Ave extension.
Photo / Bevan Conley
Fitzherbert Ave residents Angela Workman and Nelson Tizard said they were pleased to see the new road and don't mind the delay caused by the service installations as it means the road will not have to be excavated at a later stage.
Workman hoped installations on the new road will include provision for good drainage as the area has been flood-prone.
"We had waist-deep water lying around here in 2015," she said.
"We've seen kids paddling their canoes in the water that collects here before."
The current work includes the installation of new stormwater and sewer pipelines and a pump station.
The council says the 600m direct arterial link is intended to improve freight efficiency across Whanganui city and redirect traffic away from narrow residential roads and school routes.
The extension was funded under the "shovel ready" framework of the Provincial Development Unit.
