The first new coats of seal have been applied onto various sites across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty state highway network, as fine weather has allowed crews to get out on the roads.

Drivers should err on the side of caution when driving through fresh chipseal, and follow all signs on site, especially temporary speed limits, says Sandra King, Bay of Plenty System Manager at NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

“After a new layer of seal has been applied, it takes time for it to ‘bed into’ the existing road surface. Particularly during the first 48 hours, there will be loose chip on the road surface before the road is swept and lines marked. During this time temporary speed limits will be in place to ensure the safety of road users, and to ensure the seal can settle successfully.

“At times, we’ll have several sites on a stretch of road either recently sealed or in the process of being sealed. Please slow down, respect our crews and enjoy your journey. We work hard to minimise delays at sites, and will use detours or other types of traffic management to minimise the number of times people have to stop due to roadworks.

“Our crews are working hard to deliver a large programme for the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions and everyone involved takes pride in their work. Crews will be off the road by midday on Friday 25 October, ahead of Labour Weekend, to ensure everyone can get to their holiday destination as quickly as possible.

“Crews will be back on the road from the morning of Tuesday 29 October, so for those extending their holiday we recommend you plan ahead and see where disruptive works are,” says Ms King.

People can check the NZTA Journey Planner (journeys.nzta.govt.nz : https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/journey-planner ). This is kept up to date in real time so you can see all disruptive activity and potential hazards on the state highway network.

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