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From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The Tinwald Corridor Improvement project is a poor substitute for the benefits of the second bridge.
Councillor Richard Wilson didn’t hold back on describing the Tinwald project as a poor outcome compared to the bigger-picture benefits of the … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The Tinwald Corridor Improvement project is a poor substitute for the benefits of the second bridge.
Councillor Richard Wilson didn’t hold back on describing the Tinwald project as a poor outcome compared to the bigger-picture benefits of the second bridge.
“This doesn’t substitute for a second bridge,” Wilson said.
Waka Kotahi presented the Ashburton District Council with the plans for the Tinwald Corridor upgrade, which is currently out for tender.
Wilson described it as a “poor outcome” as it’s only a start to addressing the congestion woes.
Wilson believes the intersection upgrade will be beneficial for connectivity but is adamant the major issue is the congestion and traffic flow, which it won’t address.
He questioned how traffic lights will solve anything when the traffic through Tinwald is quite often “any time after 3pm nose to tail”.
Wilson remains concerned about the impact of the up to 10 months of road works on the already congested stretch of road, believing the project could be completed much faster.
“We’ve learnt that wet days no one works. Weekends no one works. A sniff of Covid no one works. Any excuse no one works, what’s in the contract to hold them to account effectively, because 10 months seems a long time.
“You said it could be done quicker, well this piece of infrastructure, there is no reason it couldn’t be squeezed.”
It’s a fixed-price contract, but Wilson said the longer it takes the costs to start to be “borne by our community”.
Other councillors agreed with Wilson that 10-months, much shorter than the 18 months the Walnut Avenue upgrade required, will be too long.
Waka Kotahi's director of regional relationships, James Caygill, said the length of the construction time will be clearer once the work is tendered.
The tender is scheduled to be awarded at the end of May or early June, and then a sod turn and site blessing will occur in early June before construction begins.
The Tinwald project in essence is the same as Walnut Ave – installing lights on SH1 and upgrading the rail level crossing.
Waka Kothai assured the council that the lesson learned from the Walnut Ave project would be put into practice in Tinwald.
The point which drew a wry response from councillors was the assurance KiwiRail has its plans already in place – to the point where its “critical piece of work” is already booked in.
A 33-hour block of line closure for the level crossing upgrade is already locked in for October 7 and 8.
The project design manager, GHD’s Grace Ryan, said the block of line is “the single most critical programme item”.
“KiwiRail has confirmed they are committed to this block of line and has said come rain, shine or anytime short of a national emergency, it will happen.”
The issue at Walnut Ave was Waka Kothai had largely completed its work but there was a gap between this and KiwiRail starting, much to the disdain and bewilderment of the community.
“You will not be in the situation you were with Walnut Ave, where everything looks done and we are waiting for the rail component to be delivered,” Caygill said.
“We know when that rail piece of work is happening.”
Caygill said the object of the project “was never about solving through traffic”.
“I absolutely acknowledge that through traffic is an issue for the community, and an issue for us on the state highway and that is why we have been working together on the bridge business case.
“This isn’t a replacement for the bridge, this is about absolutely improving the connectivity for residents of Tinwald who are severed by that exceptionally busy state highway.”
The second bridge will relieve the congestion and traffic flow, Caygill said, proving a “much better functioning network” but it’s a separate process.
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From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Mid Canterbury is at risk of future flooding but there is no major risk of forestry slash causing the same devastation that occurred in the upper North Island.
The location of forestry blocks and the geography of the region meant there was a low … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Mid Canterbury is at risk of future flooding but there is no major risk of forestry slash causing the same devastation that occurred in the upper North Island.
The location of forestry blocks and the geography of the region meant there was a low risk from forestry slash build-up in the rivers, Ashburton District Council group manager business support Leanne Macdonald said.
“The recent rainfall events that resulted in the large-scale mobilisation of tree slash in the Tairāwhiti, Hawkes Bay, and Nelson region were related to large-scale forestry covering significant catchments characterised by steep terrain and erodible soils, which is quite different to Mid Canterbury’s landscape.
“It is very unlikely to have slash from the council’s plantations entering rivers during flood events.
“Most of the council plantations are on the plains away from rivers.”
In the forestry industry, slash is considered any vegetative debris generated by the forest – all the parts of the tree not utilised following harvesting including branches.
Macdonald said slash that is mobilised during a flood can include harvesting slash from a plantation but can also include other trees involved in landslides and the vegetative material from the river berm including willows, poplars, and various weed species.
That occurred in the Ashburton River in the 2021 floods.
Slash generated during a harvesting operation is ultimately the responsibility of the forest owner, Macdonald said.
“When engaging contractors to harvest plantations, the treatment of slash is a priority and can form part of the sign-off for operations.
“Ideally, slash piles will be avoided or at the very least, reduced below three metres high.
“At the end of harvesting, the cutover area will have the slash windrowed to allow access for replanting. The practice of burning slash was stopped many years ago.”
The treatment of slash is addressed in logging plans required by the National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry and Macdonald said the plans are required to be submitted to both district and regional councils.
The council’s forestry plantations cover 1330 hectares, of which Macdonald said 1079ha is currently stocked, with 22hawaiting to be restocked this winter.
Forestry slash has become a major talking point following Cyclone Gabrielle, with the government launching a ministerial inquiry that will make recommendations to improve land use, including changes needed to practices and regulations at central and local government levels.
In previous generations, children left home at 18 years old and became independent. Now with student debt and the increasing cost of renting and buying a house, we are seeing the rise of the 'Boomerang babies' who stay or move back home for well into their 20's. Is this good for our … View moreIn previous generations, children left home at 18 years old and became independent. Now with student debt and the increasing cost of renting and buying a house, we are seeing the rise of the 'Boomerang babies' who stay or move back home for well into their 20's. Is this good for our communities and have you noticed it in yours?
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the We Say You Say column of your local paper.
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This outlines what Christchurch City Council plans to spend on projects and day-to-day services in the next year and how we'll pay for it.
Find out more and have your say by Monday 10 April.
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Losing two special people as a teenager left her lost and scraping by daily. But with the Foundation’s programmes; Kiwi Can, Stars and Project K, she found mentors who believed in her and taught her life … View moreJaleel found purpose in life through the Graeme Dingle Foundation's programmes.
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From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
He didn’t return from Wellington with bags of cash for Ashburton’s second bridge.
But what Ashburton mayor Neil Brown did get from his whistle-stop bridge promotion visit was an optimistic response that the project has government support – … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
He didn’t return from Wellington with bags of cash for Ashburton’s second bridge.
But what Ashburton mayor Neil Brown did get from his whistle-stop bridge promotion visit was an optimistic response that the project has government support – just not any guaranteed money – yet.
“There is a will there to build the second bridge, because of resilience,” Brown said.
“The only thing we are not clear on is how to fund it."
The meeting with Transport Minister Michael Wood and Waka Kotahi representatives at the Beehive confirmed to Brown the Government is positively engaged in the conversation and thinking about how the proposed $113.6m second bridge can be funded.
The council has already budgeted $7.5m, based on a previous $40m cost estimate, but signalled it will consider a larger contribution if required.
The issue is the gap between what would be Waka Kotahi's minimum 51 per cent contribution ($58m) and the council's current contribution - an approximate $48.2m shortfall.
The minister made it clear to Brown that there is significant pressure on the national land transport programme (NLTP) following Cyclone Gabrielle, which caused significant damage to bridges and roads in the upper North Island.
There are options outside the NLTP, with one being the government's $3 billion infrastructure fund, launched in 2020.
“We’ll all be exploring options or innovative ways to make it happen,’’ Brown said.
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
Brown responded to calls from frustrated community members who say repairing local roads is more pressing than a second bridge.
Brown said the only similarity between the two was that they were both influenced by Waka Kotahi subsidies.
“This [proposed second Ashburton bridge] is a major capital infrastructure project for the resilience of the roading network for the whole South Island,'' Brown said.
"[But] the potholes are a maintenance issue within the district, which our maintenance contractors are paid to go and fill.
“We also need more funding for the roads so we can renew more roads so they don’t get potholes.”
Potholes were also not just an Ashburton district problem, but one felt nationwide.
Other community members have also questioned why money for the council's new $56.7m library and civic centre could not be used for the bridge and local road funding instead.
But Brown said they were completely unrelated projects.
“They are two different projects, not even related and if you kept taking from one to put to another, you’d never get anything done.”
Spoil the Mum in your life with a subscription to NZ’s favourite gardening magazine.
For only $79 get 12 issues of NZ Gardener PLUS 5 Oriental Lily Bulbs worth $17 RRP from NZ Bulbs. Since 1957, NZ Bulbs has been supplying top quality bulbs to New Zealand gardeners. This family-owned business… View moreSpoil the Mum in your life with a subscription to NZ’s favourite gardening magazine.
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