Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is assuring people essential maintenance is continuing on Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay state highways to ensure the roads remain safe for essential workers and the movement of essential goods, and to support lifeline functions during the Covid-19 Level 4 lockdown.
Major project work is not seen as an essential service and has been stood down while New Zealand is at Alert Level 4, as has non-essential maintenance activities.
“Maintenance activities are permitted only if they address immediate risks to safety, property or the environment and/or for nationally important infrastructure,” Regional Manager Maintenance and Operations Jaclyn Hankin says.
“Services to maintain and protect worksites to ensure they remain safe, like traffic management and environmental controls, can continue. We will monitor traffic management plans and environmental risks to protect each worksite and make sure all sites are safe for people who have to travel.
“Waka Kotahi will ensure that all temporarily closed worksites on our state highways remain safe for people using the roads, and appropriate traffic management measures will be in place.”
In Gisborne these sites include:
- State Highway 35 resilience and passing opportunities projects
- Five native revegetation sites that were underway
- State Highway 2 passing opportunities project
- Wharerata lookout slow vehicle bay extension
- Maraenui layby
In Hawke’s Bay these sites include:
- State Highway 2 College Road to Silverstream realignment
- State Highway 2 Waipukurau to Waipawa shared path
- State Highway 2 Raupunga Bluffs enhanced resilience
- State Highway 2 Tahaenui bridge widening
- State Highway 5 safety improvements.
Ms Hankin asks people to please be patient and respectful to roadworkers and look out for their safety and wellbeing.
“If you see contractors out on the roads during the lockdown period, please bear in mind that they are carrying out essential work to keep us all safe.
“Remember to comply with any temporary speed reductions through roadworks to keep workers and other people on the road safe.
“People should only be heading out for essential supplies or services, otherwise, please stay safe and stay home. If you must drive to access essential supplies or services please take care, drive to the conditions and adhere to the speed limits.”
Waka Kotahi is also encouraging people to call 0800 4 HIGHWAYS to report any urgent safety issues on the state highway network.
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