Plans to chipseal Goudies Road over summer have been pushed back a year, allowing February’s New Zealand Land Speed Association event to go ahead.
Infrastructure and environmental solutions deputy chief executive at Rotorua council Stavros Michael tells Velocity News bitumen supply issues have forced the council to review their roadwork priorities.
Michael says after the review, it was decided to delay chipsealing Goudies Road until at least next summer.
According to Michael, the Rotorua council work on 60 to 70km of roads per year.
Covid-related supply issues mean this summer, the council will operate at the lower end of the scale, around 60km of roads.
Velocity News first reported on the council’s chipseal plans in November.
The report followed up on concerns the NZ Land Speed Association raised that chipseal will make Goudies Road too dangerous to race on.
An event scheduled for February was at risk of cancellation if the chipsealing went ahead.
However, Land Speed Association President John Seccombe says the deferment means that event will now proceed on February 6.
In our first report, the council said they were willing to reseal Goudies Road with asphalt if someone forks up the necessary money.
They estimated a cost of $1.2 million to seal the seven-kilometre road in asphalt.
The council said chipseal was the preferred seal as it does not impose a higher cost for local ratepayers, and the New Zealand Transport Association (NZTA) will not subsidise using asphalt as it is not a justified cost.
No word has come from either party about what the council will seal the road with next year.