Tauranga City Council acknowledges recent concerns raised by the Pāpāmoa Residents and Ratepayers Association (PRRA) about planned road resurfacing in Pāpāmoa, which includes changing some streets from asphalt to chipseal.
Every year, Tauranga City Council resurfaces around 4–5% of the city’s roads using either hot mix asphalt or chipseal. The resealing works in Pāpāmoa are part of Council’s annual road resurfacing programme, which runs from late-September through to the end of March (later for asphalt if warmer temperatures allow).
Head of Transport Mike Seabourne says progressing with resurfacing works in Pāpāmoa is needed to save money in the long run.
“Residents can be assured that the roads identified in Pāpāmoa were not chosen at random. Each road was individually inspected by qualified engineers to assess its condition and determine the most appropriate treatment.
“While the surface of a road might appear fine, the ideal time to resurface is just before any visible damage occurs. Like paint on a house, road seals protect the structure underneath from water damage. Delaying resurfacing leads to deterioration, potholes, and expensive reconstruction, costing far more than timely maintenance,” says Mike.
Council spends approximately $9 million annually resurfacing 25–30km of Tauranga’s 630km local road network, with 51% of this funded by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). Meeting NZTA requirements is essential to secure this co-funding and deliver value for money for ratepayers.
Asphalt is around five times more expensive than chipseal and is only replaced like-for-like where high traffic volumes or heavy vehicles justify the cost. For low-traffic residential streets, chipseal is the only option eligible for NZTA funding, making it the most cost-effective choice despite not meeting all aesthetic preferences.
“The cost of resealing six streets in Pāpāmoa with chipseal is estimated at $270,000 - with NZTA contributing 51% for chipseal - so rate payers pay just under $132,000. In comparison, resurfacing these six streets in asphalt would increase the cost to around $1.6 million - with ratepayers needing to pay the remainder after the NZTA chipseal contribution (of around $130,000) is applied.
Applying this approach to similar streets across the city, that wish to retain developer-installed asphalt, would result in disproportionate costs and undermine our ability to maintain a fair, sustainable transport network, or other essential services, for everyone”, says Mike.
Tauranga City Council is committed to listening to the community and responding to concerns.
“As resealing is part of our annual maintenance programme, formal consultation is not required; however, we are committed to improving communication with residents and ensuring they receive clear advance notice of works,” Mike adds.
Council will continue to provide updates as the annual road resurfacing programme progresses.
For more details on the resurfacing programme, visit www.tauranga.govt.nz/road-resurfacing or sign up for our weekly bulletin at www.tauranga.govt.nz/weeklybulletin.