Media Release

13 December 2016

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Preparation for Rotoiti footpath underway

Work has started to prepare a 1200m stretch of Rotoiti roadside for construction of a new footpath next year.

Rotorua Lakes Council staff have worked closely with a Ngati Pikiao hapu (sub-tribe) to plan the footpath, from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Rotoiti (Rotoiti School) to Tamatea Street. Ngati Tamateatutahi-Ngati Kawiti approached Council last year to provide safe footpath access on the busy stretch of road which runs along State Highway 30 at Rotoiti and is used by students from the kura (school) to walk to Tamatea Street for school activities.

The footpath is one of the short-term goals in the hapu environmental management plan which was lodged with Bay of Plenty Regional Council in 2015.

The footpath will be an extension of the existing path that runs from Gisborne Point to Rotoiti School and will be constructed in three stages.

The first stage began this week and includes vegetation clearing along the side of the road and preparation of the path foundations.

The second stage which will be the construction period, will start in the new year.

This stage is scheduled to be completed in April 2017.

The final stage will focus on vegetation restoration along the length of the path. Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Rotorua Lakes Council, together with Ngati Tamateatutahi-Ngati Kawiti, will replant the sides of the path with natives in an ongoing project overseen by Wildlands Consultants Limited.

During the three stages of work there may be minor disruptions to traffic when contractors are working on areas close to the highway. At times stop/go traffic management may be in place but it is expected that any wait time for drivers will be very short.

The footpath project is scheduled as part of Council’s Local Roads Capital Works programme which was approved as part of the Annual Plan 2016/2017.

This project supports the recent return of Tamatea Street to Te Tahuna Trust and the hapu which was decided by Council in October 2015.

Projects included in the Local Capital Works programme 2016/17

• $7.5 million allocated this financial year to roads and footpaths

Urban works – renewal of road foundations (area wide pavement treatment)

• Allen Mills Road

• Koutu Road

• Victoria Street

Rural works – renewal of road foundation (area wide pavement treatment)

• Longview Road

• Reporoa Road

• Spencer Road

Rural works – road seal extension

• Dods Road

• Relph Road

Road improvements

• Otonga Road/Springfield intersection

Rural street improvements

• Karamu Street (new footpath, drainage and parking areas)

• Rotoiti footpath

Urban street upgrades

• Kawaha Point School (new drop off/pick up zone and off street parking to ease congestion)

Bridges and large culvert replacements

• Barnard Road culvert

• River Plate Road culvert

Footpath renewal

• Pukehangi Road

Urban cycleways – ongoing programme to establish cycleways

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