Warwick Smith/Stuff
Upgrades to the Pahīatua Track were just some of the work done to get central North Island roads ready for winter.
People driving on central North Island roads throughout winter should have a smoother ride, with 228.2 kilometres of road either resealed or replaced in time for winter.
The work, done by Waka Kotahi between January and March, involved work to key routes, such as the Pahīatua Track and State Highway 2 in Mangatainoka.
Maintenance and operations manager Jaclyn Hankin said the work involved 5.2% of the area’s state highway network.
Getting the work done, despite atrocious weather and the ongoing challenges raised by the Covid-19 pandemic, was significant, she said.
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“We thank our teams on the ground for their incredible and ongoing mahi, and we thank the public for their patience and understanding as we keep the roads in great condition.”
The work also involved replacing 1623 edge marker posts and maintaining or replacing 256 road signs.
Work would switch to maintenance during the winter months, with renewal starting again from October.
Usually Waka Kotahi would try to do multiple kinds of work in one location to minimise disruption, Hankin said.
Partly or fully closing roads also helped with getting work done safely, she said.
That happened in March on the Pahīatua Track, when closing the road at night enabled less disruption while the road was resealed.
