A 2.4km section of Thompsons Track will be closed for two months from this week as contractors begin a rehabilitation project to widen and strengthen what is one of the district’s busiest rural roads.

Sections of Thompsons Track either side of Pole Road will be rehabilitated and short detours using Pole Road and Braemar Road will be in place while the work is happening.

Group Manager Infrastructure and Open Spaces Neil McCann said the cost to repair these two sections of Thompsons Track was about $830,000.

“Essentially the contractors are building a new road on top of an existing road and widening it to 8 metres. The road is structurally weak and thin, which is why we end up with potholes and pavement failures, and it is too narrow for the traffic that uses it.

“Along with Arundel Rakaia Gorge Road, Thompsons Track is one of our primary collector routes and we are gradually rebuilding both to modern standards.”

A 900m section of Maronan Road is also being widened and strengthened in a project starting Tuesday 16 January. The section under rehabilitation is between the single-lane bridge over the Hinds River and just north of Swamp Road.

Traffic management will be in place while the work is under way over the next month and regular users of the road should be alert for changes and temporary detours.

Mr McCann said Maronan Road also had pavement issues, resulting in potholes and bitumen bleeding through the seal in hot weather. “The work here is about $290,000 and will improve the road surface for all motorists.”

Three different contractors are working hard over summer to complete Council’s roading repairs.

“We have a lot of repairs programmed. ACL and Fulton Hogan are completing major road rehabilitation work while HEB are completing the spot repairs on the roads which are not quite at the stage of needing a full road rehabilitation.

“All works are on track to be completed within the construction season prior to winter setting in.”

Council’s Long Term Plan, which will be out for public feedback in March, contains proposals to significantly increase spending on subsidised roading maintenance, reseals and rehabilitation.

See all road closures on our website ashburtondc.govt.nz.