1. CONTRACTS GENERAL

Detailed contract information is located within Appendix 1 of this report.

2. CONTRACT: HDC 160 ROAD MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT 1999-2002 (File 48.000.160)

Work in all three wards, for February comprised of cyclic inspections, regular inspections and the removal of debris from drainage grates, various kerb and channel sweeping, vegetation control, verge mowing, minor bridge repairs, trimming of overhanging tree branches on several road and minor drainage improvements.

February was generally a very wet month with frequent periods of very heavy rain. As a result of this, the Contractor has spent more time clearing drainage grates of leaves and debris, particularly in the Paeroa and Waihi Wards, than would be normally expected, and this additional work is reflected in the street cleaning portion of the claim.

2.1 Activity Report For February 2004

Plains Ward

Due to forecast expenditure being significantly exceeded prior to he Christmas beak, the expenditure since has been closely monitored to achieve budgeted expenditure. However, work that will be completed this month includes:

There were no emergency callouts during the month, however the Contractor responded to several after hours callouts to remove fallen trees.

Customer Service Requests

Customer Service Requests/Complaints received during and actioned during the month were:

All arterial centrelines were remarked early November. In addition, the centreline on Pukekauri Road was remarked, as several areas were faded.

The next work to be completed will be the annual remark of all painted marking, which is programmed for March 2004.

4. CONTRACT HDC 163: TRAFFIC SERVICES 1999-2002 (File 48.000.232)

Work completed in all three wards for last month comprised of cyclic inspection and repair, supply and installation of new marker posts, installation of new signs, removal of old signs and unscheduled works.

Plains Ward

Work completed for the Plains for last month comprised of cyclic inspection and the supply and replacement of damaged marker posts and signs, installation of new signs, and unscheduled works.

Paeroa Ward

Work completed for the Paeroa Ward for last month comprised of cyclic inspection and repair, cleaning of marker post and signs, and unscheduled works.

Work completed for the Waihi Ward for last month comprised of cyclic inspection and repair, supply and installation of several new signs, the replacement of vandalised signs and unscheduled works.

A request has been received from Cr Mike Hayden to install a directional sign at the intersection of Seddon St (SH2) and Rosemont Rd for the mine information centre and look out. The approval of the installation will be required from TNZ and the funding will be sourced from the Ward budget.

RECOMMENDATION THAT the directional signage for the mine information centre and look out be installed at the intersection of Seddon / Moresby Rd with Transit NZ consent and funded by the Waihi Ward

Customer Service Requests/Complaints relating to traffic services received and actioned during and actioned during the month were:

The Contractor’s forward work programme for March comprises of cyclic inspections and addressing service requests.

In addition, the following work has been programmed:

Replacement of old black/white street name blades will continue around the Waihi Urban area.

Replacement of broken marker posts on various roads.

The tender report will be tabled at the meeting.

All resurfacing work has now been completed, and the sites inspected and approved by the Engineer. All retentions have been released and this contract is now complete.

Overall, the Contractor performed well despite taking longer to complete the contract than he originally programmed. This was due to a variety of reasons, but unsettled weather caused several lost days.

Work comprises of area wide treatments on Old Tauranga and Mangawhero roads, widening of a single lane bridge on Old Tauranga Road, improvements to the Old Tauranga / Waitawheta Road intersection and minor widening and realignment.

Three tenders were received, with prices ranging between $1,320,000.00 and $1,493,781.50 and were evaluated using the Weighted Attributes Method.

A tender recommendation was made to Council that Works Infrastructure Ltd, tender of $1,320,000.00 be accepted.

Prices ranged from 107.2% through 104.8% to 116.2% of the estimate of $1,285,429.00.

As at the end of February, no physical works had commenced.

Work comprises realigning approximately 280m of Rahu Road, east of the Albert Road intersection at Mackaytown.

Two tenders were received, with prices ranging between $219,090.10 and $282,634.94 and were evaluated using the Lowest Price Conforming Method.

The accepted tender was 104% of the estimated value of $210,500.00 ($285,000.00 minus $75,500.00 for utilities relocation and geotech provisions).

As at the end of February, no physical works had commenced.

There are 4 sections of road planned to be resealed within the next financial year that are also planned for new kerb and channel. It is beneficial to construct the new kerb and channel on these sections prior to the reseal in order to improve appearance and for construction purposes. The road sections and associated costs are as follows..

This work will be included within the major drainage control subsidised budget. This information is provided for information purposes

6. OVERWEIGHT PERMIT SUPERVISION

There were two applications for overweight permits during the month, both being for the transportation of bulldozers across the Baxters Road Bridge at Waihi.

7. ACCIDENTS

There were no accidents reported by the contractor during the month.

8. STREET OPENING NOTICES

No applications were received during the month.

9. SAFETY MANAGEMENT (file 40.0000.017)

No customer service requests were received during the month.

A crash reduction study is programmed for early to mid March 2004. Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) in association with Opus will carry out the study.

A review of LTSA accident database covering our road network for the last 5 years is underway to determine crash sites, crash patterns and identify any black spots or black routes for use in the study.

A black spot is classified as a location that has 3 or more serious or fatal injury crashes or 5 or more crashes over a 5-year period. Crashes are measured over an area within a 210m-radius for rural roads (speeds > 70km/h) and 70m radius for urban roads.

HDC in association with Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) is developing a Safety Management System (SMS).

Opus has been commissioned by LTSA to produce a SMS for HDC. This follows the Government’s desire to reduce the number and frequency of crashes on our roads. The SMS will ensure that decisions about construction, maintenance, operation and management of the HDC roading network will lead to clear safety targets.

The initial meeting between HDC / Opus / LTSA was held on 25 February 2004.

Councils Minor Safety Programme was set by the Road Safety Committee in the meeting dated 8 September 2003. The programme is attached as appendix 2 of this report and provided for information. The increased budget has allowed a number of year 2 projects to be advanced in the current year.

Deletion: Kenny St/Silverton Rd intersection improvements are not included as the round about option could only get a BCR less than 1. More options are being investigated.

Additions: Ngatitangita safety improvements $20k, Trig/Mathers $8k site benching and Baxter Rd/SH2 intersection improvements $30k. The Ngatitangita work is in progress and the Trig/Mathers is medium to Low priority. The work at Baxter/SH2 is urgently required as it possible for it to be included with an AWT that is being undertaken by Transit NZs’ contractor. The estimated value of this work is $30k, for this work to proceed one of the lower priority projects will need to be deleted. The last 3 projects on our programme in descending order of importance are:

1. Turua School Crossing

2. Thorpe St Kea Crossing

3. Hauraki / Wharepoa Rd RTB

The recommendation is that Hauraki / Wharepoa Rd RTB be deferred to the next financial year and Baxter Rd/SH2 Intersection improvements be added to the Minor Safety Programme

RECOMMENDATION THAT The Minor Safety Programme be varied to include the Baxter Road/SH2 Intersection improvements and defer the construction of the Hauraki Rd / Wharepoa Rd right turn bay.

The investigations into the round about concluded that the project is economically not viable with a BCR less than 1 which nullifies the Transfund subsidy. The estimated construction cost of the roundabout excluding land purchase is $360,000. A review of the less comprehensive options will be undertaken to confirm an alternative course of action.

An application for the installation of a bus shelter has been received from E and V Madgwick and is shown in appendix 3 of this report. The applicant intends to use a utility garden shed erected on the road side for their school aged children as detailed in their letter. The shed will be positioned against the existing fence line which is approximately on the road boundary. The following conditions would normally apply to an installation of this type:

The structure will remain on site at Councils pleasure and will be removed within 10 working days of notification.

All costs for removal will be at the applicant’s expense.

The applicant will provide signed approval from all adjoining land owners.

The type, position and location of the structure is to be approved of the Engineer

RECOMMENDATION That the installation of a bus shelter for school children be approved subject to the conditions detailed above being satisfied

Council have received a request from B Wollner to install a pedestrian crossing outside the main entrance of HDC offices. The applicant states in the letter attached as appendix 4 of this report that the crossing will benefit pedestrians and in particular the older population using mobility scooters. Technical Recommendation11 is the guide that sets out the warrant requirements for a pedestrian crossing. The basic requirement is for the product of pedestrians per hour and vehicles per hour to exceed 45,000. The ADT in 2001 for Williams St was 1425 and there has been no pedestrian count to date, informal counts indicate the traffic count approaching 400 vph this would require nearly 2 pedestrians per minute to satisfy this part of the warrant. The requested location for the crossing is not supported due to variety of conflicting turning paths occurring at this point.

RECOMMENDATION That the installation of a pedestrian crossing outside the HDC office in Williams St Paeroa is not supported due to hazardous conflicting traffic movements.

10. TRAINING

No training courses were attended during the month.

11. DEVELOPMENTS ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Seven documents for the general maintenance contract have been up lifted.

Bargain Timber have made a number of verbal approaches to Council for their road frontage to be tidied up. Our observations to date revealed that a number of vehicles use this area to park off the road. This includes customers to Bargain Timber and trucks visiting the industrial estate who leave their trailers at this point. These vehicles damage and deteriorate the road frontage. Bargain Timber have requested a cost share arrangement that would involve the supply of an initial aggregate levelling layer from Council and the supply of timber bollards at a suitable spacing to prevent vehicles entering this area from Bargain Timber. The location and type of bollard will be approved by the Engineer.

RECOMMENDATION That an agreement between Bargain Timber and HDC be approved to undertake the abovementioned work on the cost share basis described above.

Gene Thomsen

Confirmation of a year extension to the contract has been issued to the contractor.