The close to 500m long balustrade at the top of the St Clair Esplanade sea wall will be replaced with a polished high grade stainless steel version in stages over the next few months.
In a statement, Dunedin City Council Group Manager Transport Jeanine Benson said there were sections where the existing railing had corroded, posing a potential hazard.
The council was taking a pragmatic approach to replace the entire rail to ensure consistency in a vibrant part of the city, she said.
"The new railings are polished high-grade stainless steel, therefore will be resistant to further corrosion and rusting."
Work is planned to start in April, beginning at the St Clair Surf Lifesaving Clubrooms ramp and then progressing in sections of about 30m at a time, reaching the St Clair Hot Salt Water Pool before the end of the year.
The new sections of balustrade will be prefabricated off-site to keep any work at the esplanade to a minimum.
The council has contacted St Clair businesses and delivered letters to neighbours, assuring them there will be minimal disruption.
A small amount of protective scaffolding will be placed along the top of the seawall beside each section being swapped out.
The wooden handrails will be re-finished and reused as much as possible, otherwise sustainably-sourced Kwila hardwood will be used to replace any wood that has deteriorated beyond repair.
The project has a budget of $655,000. At this stage there is no plan upgrade to the esplanade itself, but there may be an opportunity for remedial work to amenities such as benches and bins. — Allied Media
