Otaki TodayJust when locals thought the cones were disappearing from downtown Ōtaki, road works began at the Telegraph Hotel intersection.
Traffic management held up motorists for up to five minutes as work progressed.
Workers at the Rangiuru Road intersection, part two of an upgrade of the road surface and pedestrian crossings. Photo Ōtaki Today
The first works were begun on November 26, when a section of Te Rauparaha Street was re-laid. The second section was begun on December 2, along Rangiuru Road past the Telegraph Hotel.
As at press time (December 9), the Main Road and Tasman Road sections were still to be completed. Each section is scheduled to take about three days to complete, depending on weather.
The works are part of Kāpiti Coast District Council’s regular maintenance programme, not related to the other big infrastructure projects – the wastewater upgrade along Aotaki Street and Mill Road, and NZTA’s revocation works at the Railway.
While locals seemed surprised by the emergence of works at the Telegraph intersection, a council spokesperson told Ōtaki Today letters advising of the works had been dropped to “nearby neighbours”.
Meantime, the Aotaki Street section of the wastewater upgrade is now complete and operating. The north end of Aotaki Street was scheduled to be resurfaced on December 9 (weather dependent). More road resurfacing is planned for summer.
At the BP roundabout on the old state highway, pipework has been installed across the intersection to the bottom of the over-ramp on Rāhui Road, where there’s a new manhole.
This area has been the site of some of Ōtaki’s biggest works in recent times, coming at the same time as NZTA’s revocation works.
The council says the roundabout has been challenging, as the team has to work around many clashing services – relocating power cables, sewer mains and Chorus telecommunications network lines.
From the new Rāhui Road manhole, the pipe heads into Pare-o-Matangi Reserve to another manhole.
On the roundabout itself, the kerb has been removed and workers are preparing for the new kerb line in the north-east corner. New stormwater and roadside sumps have been installed.
For local road users, it’s welcome news that the roundabout is now open in three directions (except Rāhui Road) with full access from north and south into Mill Road.
This week (beginning December 8), the crew will install ducting for new street lighting at the roundabout as well as new kerb and channel and footpaths on the four corners.
Rāhui Road will remain closed until mid-to-late December, opening temporarily over the Christmas break. Roundabout work will restart on January 6.
The final two phases of the wastewater upgrade, to begin in the new year, will involve tunnelling the Rāhui Road pipe under the train track and expressway, then installing the pipe along Rāhui and Te Roto roads.
On NZTA’s revocation works in the Railway area, workers are tidying up the area ready for the Christmas break. The road from BP to Arthur Street will be resurfaced first. Weather dependent, the work is scheduled over three or four nights in the week beginning December 8.
At the northern end of the Railway, the contractor is now focused on replacing the kerb and channel south to the Arthur Street intersection. The footpath, kerb and channel, and resurfacing work will restart in February.
North of Ōtaki towards Levin, all daytime corridor improvement works have finished for the year. Work crews were scheduled to carry on with limited night works for a week or so from December 8.
“Like everyone else, our crews are looking forward to spending time with their families over summer and the Christmas break,” an NZTA statement said.
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