Slurry prompts daytime flurry for road works

Thomas Burns Street (behind the Railway Station). Photo by Linda Robertson.
Thomas Burns Street (behind the Railway Station). Photo by Linda Robertson.
Road works on two major Dunedin routes could not be carried out at night and any delays would be kept to a minimum, roading authorities said.

The Dunedin City Council is repairing Thomas Burns St, starting yesterday, while Transit New Zealand has programmed work on the Southern Motorway between Burnside and Lookout Point, also starting yesterday.

Detours are in place at Thomas Burns St, while the road is reduced by one lane on the motorway.

Thomas Burns St was a heavy traffic bypass, and the work was being carried out from the roundabout, opposite the railway station, to the overbridge beside Birch St.

The contractor on both jobs is Downer EDi Works.

Dunedin City Council transportation operations manager Mike Costelloe said the contractor had been made aware of the busy nature of Thomas Burns St, and asked to keep disruptions to a minimum.

Detours would be changing every day.

He said now was as good a time as any for the work, as many people were taking the rest of the week off, after the Easter break, and the weather was generally reliable.

The work started yesterday, with contractors finishing about 5pm. It is due to be completed on Monday.

He said the slurry work could not be done at night because the slurry did not combine well enough in colder night temperatures. Mr Costelloe did not know the cost of the work.

The work was programmed, and was needed, as the surface was showing signs of wear.

There was no perfect time to do the work but it was better to ‘‘bite the bullet'' and do it now.

Transit New Zealand network and safety engineer Roy Johnston said the work on the motorway was programmed and the road would be reduced to one lane. Work started yesterday.

He also said the slurry work could not be carried out at night, because of the temperature.

All lanes should be open during peak-hour periods he said.

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