Contractors started resealing the 1km closed stretch of John Wilson Ocean Dr in Dunedin yesterday, in preparation for it being reopened to vehicles.
Test walking the freshly laid chip seal yesterday is Downer contractor Amy Williams (above).
Resealing is expected to be finished today, ready for road-marking and signage within two weeks, depending on weather conditions.
Dunedin City Council parks manager Lisa Wheeler said a decision on when vehicles would be allowed back on the road was expected to be made this week.
Councillors voted in December to spend $80,000 to reseal the road and reopen it to vehicles between 11am and 3pm on weekdays.
The road was closed in 2006 and reopened for two weeks in 2009.
Security guards will remove bollards at the St Kilda end of the road each weekday at 11am, allowing vehicles in.
The bollards would be replaced at 3pm each day, Ms Wheeler said.
The cost of the daily opening and closing would be about $5000 a year.
One side of the newly sealed road will be marked off for the use of walkers and cyclists when it is open to vehicle traffic. Outside those hours, non-motorised traffic is free to use the whole road.
The vehicle speed limit will initially be 50kmh, until funds have been found, via council support of community initiatives, to provide traffic calming required for an intended permanent solution of reducing the speed limit to 20kmh.
That could cost up to $94,000.
If such support is not forthcoming by May 1 this year, staff will report to councillors on whether the 50kmh speed limit is appropriate to continue on a permanent basis or whether an alternative is required.
Council senior traffic engineer Ron Minnema said a 7m-wide carriageway would be painted on the inland side of the road.
