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Central Hawke’s Bay District Council, with funding from the Provincial Growth Fund are improving transport infrastructure for the communities along Porangahau and Wimbledon roads. A key focus of the programme of work is the bridge at Flaxmill.
Flaxmill Bridge has a history of flooding. Rainfall events in February 2004 and March 2018 cut electricity supplies and compromised community safety. In 2018 the road either side of Flaxmill Bridge was closed in excess of 20 days due to flooding.
With growing volumes of freight using the route, reliability and resilience needs to be assured if the regional economy is to be protected and opportunities for productivity are enhanced. The conclusion of this project will provide future generations with safe and durable roading infrastructure along what is a key thoroughfare in our district.
This project has been awarded to Russell Roads who started on site on Monday 29th March 2021. Watch the project blessing and project commencement bellow:
Construction Staging:
Road sites split into three:
Constructability:
Opportunities:
Ugly Hill culverts will be also upgraded to mitigate flooding along that section of the road as part of the works, August 2021- June 2022.
If funding allows, silt removal from approximately 400m upstream of Flaxmill bridge to approximately 1.6km downstream. Approximately 40,000m3 of material to be removed, timeline for this would be August 2021- June 2022.
Works have continued on Stage 2 and 3 where the road will be lifted by 800mm.
Stage 2 - Works returned after the Christmas break and will continue through to April 2022. Works had previously slowed down while the testing and results on settlement of the widened shoulder took place.
Stage 3 - A significant portion of sealing took place in late December and works will continue through to March/April 2022.
Stage 4 - following further design and hydrualic modelling information - once the silt removal and stream widening is completed as planned for Stage 5 - the works previously planned in Stage 4 will not be required.
Stage 5 involves the waterway improvements and providing greater capacity in the Tāurekaitai stream under Flaxmill Bridge. A resource consent has been lodged for the waterway and silt removal works which is being assessed by HBRC.
Since our last update, the region experienced some heavy down pours of rain in September 2021 which Stage 1 of the Flaxmill/Wanstead Roading Upgrade held up to well. Work is planned to be undertaken underneath Flaxmill Bridge in December 2021 as part of Stage 5.
Stage 2 work commenced on Stage 2 in July - clearing works are underway, as well as installation of new culverts, mass blocks and drainage prior to milling and preparing to lift the section of road.
Stage 3 is happening now with site clearing underway. This is the most southern section leading up to Wanstead Bridge and sees the road lifted by 800mm.
Stage 4 involves upgrading culverts at Ugly Hill – this is to be confirmed, but would be planned for later in 2021 once the fish spawning and trout restrictions are lifted.
Stage 5 involves the waterway improvements and providing greater capacity in the Tāurekaitai stream under Flaxmill Bridge. A resource consent has been lodged for the waterway and silt removal works.
Work continues with Russell Roads who are upgrading Porangahau Road between Flaxmill and Wanstead Bridges, Stage 2 and 3 sees the lift of the road by approx. 800mm.
Flaxmill / Wanstead Roading Upgrade – Stage 2
Work is underway on Stage 2 of the Flaxmill, where clearing works are underway, as well as installation of new culverts and drainage prior to milling and preparing to lift the section of road, Stage 2 and 3 see the road lifted by approx. 800mm to improve resilience and flooding risk.
Separable Portion 1 is now complete. This is the first of five sections in this project - keep an eye on our updates to follow the next sections in this programme of work.
Works are progressing well with the road lift as part of Stage 1 just north of Flaxmill Bridge, the road has been milled back preparing to have the additional fill added in to lift the road in stages – progressing as planned and on track to be completed by the end of May.
On March 29th, we held the blessing to commence the Flaxmill Roading Upgrade around Flaxmill bridge and north to Wanstead bridge. Our contractor Russell Roads is establishing onsite this week to lift the road as the first of five separable portions. The blessing was led by local hapu Ngati Kere, and was well attended by local landowners, CHBDC councillors, staff, our design team Stantec, our contractor Russell Roads and our funder the Provincial Development Unit. A pretty exciting moment in the programme to get our flagship project underway!
Hydraulic modelling identifies that Porangahau Rd has a <2year LOS, with the lowest levels being along a 1300m length adjacent to Wanstead Swamp wetland.
An engineering options assessment indicates that a 10 year LOS is achievable within the funding and timeframe constraints of the PGF, and a further lift to a 75 year LOS is considered feasible if a longer timeframe is available and funding outside the PGF is obtained.
Therefore, the preferred option strategy is:
You can read our report on the Flaxmill Inundation project here.
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