Roading | Visually Attractive Roadsides | Dust | Spray Exemption
Emergency contact phone number +64 3 689 8079
Roading is Waimate District Council’s single most expensive activity, at $2,497,000 out of total Council expenditure, of $9,338,000, roading which represents 27% of our costs.
So why does Roading cost so much?
The Waimate District is geographically widespread and sparsely populated.
Each Waimate ratepayer pays for 330 metres of roading. This compares to Auckland 8, Christchurch 11, Timaru 81, Waitaki 148 and Mackenzie 233 (source Transfund New Zealand). The only ratepayers in NZ who pay for more metres of roading than Waimate, are the Chatham Islanders!
Because roading is such a big issue for Waimate, Council is undertaking a strategic review of our roading network. Research and community consultation will be undertaken to address many questions, such as:
What Do We Do Now?
The activity involves the provision and maintenance of roads, streets, bridges and footpaths within the District.
Sealed Pavements - Maintenance, reseals, widening and seal extension.
Unsealed Roads - Maintenance, metalling and grading.
Drainage - Provision and maintenance of culverts, kerb and channels.
Bridges - Maintenance of the District’s 183 bridges.
Footpaths - Provision and maintenance of urban footpaths.
Traffic Services - Provision and maintenance of lighting, signage and pavement marking.
Road Lengths
| Road Class |
Rural Sealed km |
Rural Unsealed km |
Urban Sealed km |
Urban Unsealed km |
Total km |
| Arterial |
48.4 |
|
1.2 |
|
49.6 |
| Collector |
146.4 |
|
5.3 |
|
151.7 |
| Local |
391.3 |
574.1 |
36.1 |
2.7 |
1004.2 |
| Low Maintenance |
|
87.2 |
|
|
87.2 |
| No Maintenance |
|
56.2 |
|
|
56.2 |
| TOTAL |
586.1 |
717.5 |
42.6 |
2.7 |
1348.8 |
Tasks
Tasks are the routine matters that Council will attend to every year, in order to maintain service levels set in agreement with our community.
- Co-ordinate with other councils, agencies and private sector to improve road safety eg LTSA, Transfund NZ, Transit NZ, MoT, South Canterbury Road Safety Trust, and the private sector to improve road safety.
- Prepare contracts and tendering processes for major roading operations, where works are let to tender.
- Maintain the core roading network at agreed service levels including the road pavements and related items within the road reserve, eg footpaths, drainage, trees and grass growth.
- Monitor and respond to vehicular and pedestrian safety issues.
- Maintain the Road Assessment and Maintenance Management System (RAMM).
- Administer various permits related to access to the road reserve and overweight transport.
- Undertake bridge inspections.
Why Do We Do It?
The Local Government Act gives the Council authority to own and control roads. The obligation and abilities of the Council to manage the roading network are set out in the Act.
The Waimate District Council is a Road Controlling Authority as defined in the Transit New Zealand Act 1989 and consequently has responsibilities under this Act.
Provision and maintenance of the roading network ensures appropriate access and freedom of travel throughout the area for all citizens.
Our Service Levels
Service levels for roads are determined as shown in the table below.
Roads are classified into five groups that determine the response times for repair work when combined with factors related to location. Classes of roads are:
- Arterial Roads - A road or street which is a main route for though traffic between significant activity centres.
- Collector Road - A road or street which connects a number of local roads.
- Local Road - A road or street which provides access to properties.
- Low Maintenance Road - Less than 20vpd* provides access to properties.
- No Maintenance Road - All formed or unformed roads under the control and management of council outside the maintained network. (known as “paper roads”.)Note * vpd = vehicles per day.
Property owners are invited to apply in writing to Council to have a rural public road sealed for dust suppression adjacent to their residential dwellings. Current policy states that half the cost of the sealing is to be met by the applicant. Please contact Robert Moffat, Roading Engineer, for details. 03 689 8079
Waimate District Council operates a NO SPRAY register. It is a listing of properties whose owners or occupiers do not wish to have spraying on their urban kerbs or footpath edges, or rural road edges and roadside drains. They also wish not to have invasive environmental weed species on the berm or boundary lines with public land treated with herbicide.
Further information
No Spray Register Form
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What Do We Do Now?
Council develops and tends to the mowing and plantings at various roadside locations within the Waimate District, especially at entrances to urban areas. Council owned properties and Road Reserves are similarly maintained.
Tasks
Tasks are the routine matters that Council will attend to every year, in order to maintain service levels set in agreement with our community.
Mow grass and maintain plantings using Parks and Reserves Staff, a major roading contractor or individual local contractors.
Why Do We Do It?
For reasons of community pride, road safety and to promote economic development by attracting tourism.
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