Council’s roading contractors are making good progress on rehabilitating a 1.2km section of Maronan Road, with a 900-metre section sealed last week.

The segment under reconstruction is between Lills Road and Lovetts Road and the project is scheduled for completion by 31 March.

Infrastructure and Open Spaces Group Manager Neil McCann said the remaining 400 metres would be sealed 19-21 February.

“This last section is the intersection of Maronan Road and Winslow Westerfield Road, which will be upgraded to include a right-hand turning bay for south-bound traffic. There are a lot of truck movements at this intersection and it’s not always easy to see other road users, so it should be a lot safer.”

A 1.4km section of Seafield Road, between Morris Road and the Ashburton Airport, is also being reconstructed, with the work  done in two stages.

Mr McCann said the three-month project was more challenging because of the volume of traffic going to the ANZCO meat works on Seafield Road and people going to the airport.

“The first stage of work is between Morris Road and Milton Road and that is on track for completion about the start of March. The second stage has just got under way, and while that section of Seafield Road is closed, people can use the signed detours to get to the airport and the meat works.”

The whole project should be finished by early April.

Mr McCann said rehabilitations involve quite a bit of disruption, and resulted in much-improved roads.

“Council is spending $2.4 million rehabilitating about 8.5km of roads this summer and that’s on top of the $8.2m being spent on resurfacing and maintaining other sealed and unsealed roads.”