Loose cycleway material no threat to environment: DCC

Loose cycling strip material which is washing into Dunedin’s gutters and stormwater system is not...
Loose cycling strip material which is washing into Dunedin’s gutters and stormwater system is not hazardous and poses no environmental threat, the Dunedin City Council says. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery
There is no environmental threat from loose cycle strip material washing into Dunedin’s stormwater drains.

New green cycling strip material has been applied to both the  one-way cycle lanes and intersections around the city.

A large amount of the loose stone (bauxite) chip has washed into the stormwater system after heavy rain  earlier this week.

Dunedin City Council transport delivery manager Josh von Pein said sometimes when the product was first applied, there was some minor chip loss.

There were no negative environmental impacts from the chips. They

were captured at the base of mud-tanks which were routinely cleaned, Mr von Pein said.

The new green surfacing has been applied to sections of Factory Rd, Rattray St, Opoho Rd, Orari St, Midland St and Hillside Rd as part of the council’s routine maintenance programme to renew worn-out cycle strips.

About $44,000 has been spent on the renewal programme in the past month.

Contractors were required to regularly check and ensure areas around the strips were cleared of hazards.

Some of the loose stone chips had been cleared by the contractor yesterday and clean-up was scheduled for next week.

The NZ Transport Agency has also applied the material to sections of the new one-way cycle lane.

NZTA project manager Simon Underwood said two types of paint were used on the new cycle lanes. One was a standard road paint and the other was used  where vehicles crossed over the path.

The darker paint which contained the chips was longer-lasting but could shed a small amount of material before it bedded in, Mr Underwood said.

tim.miller@odt.co.nz

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