The concrete beams being used as tree stops installed as part of the Balclutha main street upgrade have been causing problems for some people trying to park.
The tree stops, or concrete beams, are placed on the ground to guard the several trees next to car parks on Clyde St.
At a Clutha District Council standing committee meeting on Wednesday, Crs Gaynor Finch, Hamish Anderson and Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan agreed the stops were an ongoing issue which needed to be investigated.
Some councillors had received complaints of damage to tyres from driving over the beams.
Clutha District Council engineering and contracts manager Chris Bopp said a solution was being sought.
Some of the concrete beams will be smoothed off on a 45 degree angle at the front top two corners.
This was in an attempt to reduce the sharpness of the blocks and damage they caused.
Mr Bopp said shortening the concrete beams was not an immediate option, as they had steel poles running the length of them.
Cutting short the beams would expose the steel work.
When approached by the Otago Daily Times yesterday, shop owner Jane McAuley said she noticed the issues drivers faced when parallel parking outside her store.
Many people avoided the parks next to the concrete beams.
This essentially meant the street had lost some parking because people avoided certain spaces.
She suspected drivers could not see the concrete beams when they were in their vehicle so ran over them.
Mrs McAuley said it was just something no-one thought would be an issue when the street was being designed.
"It's these little things you don't think about.''
Another woman, who did not want to be named, also works at a store on Clyde St and noticed the problems drivers had with the beams.
She said it provided "quiet entertainment'' when watching drivers attempting to manoeuvre around them.
The woman was unsure of what could be done to correct the issue other than to completely remove the beams.
However, that would make the trees on the street vulnerable to damage, she said.
The $2.71million project to upgrade the main street of Balclutha was completed at the end of last year.
At the standing committee meeting, Cr Stew Cowie said most people were happy with everything achieved in the upgrade but the obtrusive concrete beams was the one common complaint.
