A sequence of slides on a digital billboard poked fun at Waka Kotahi in New Plymouth in early April, 2024. Photo: Supplied
A mystery digital billboard poking fun at the transport authority has reappeared in New Plymouth.
This time, the sign congratulates NZTA on recent roadworks on Breakwater Road - the main route to Port Taranaki - but poses the question: Will it all have to be dug up again so council can work on underground services in the area?
Breakwater Road is part of State Highway 44.
It is the country's second-shortest state highway at just over 5 kilometres long and got the designation because of the heavy traffic heading to Port Taranaki.
Part of the road has recently had new asphalt laid, but the tongue-in-cheek sign - which mimics NZTA information boards - suggests there were spray-painted markings on the road and footpath which indicate the diggers might be about to return.
Andy, who was at a lifting company on Breakwater Road, reckoned someone had slipped up.
"Now you've got all these services marked that go into a road that's been completed already. It's a bit of a waste of money, isn't it? If you're going to do it, do it once and do it right."
But he did not think NZTA was solely to blame.
"I think the council have a lot of explaining to do too, but they've definitely got to speak to each other.
"You know Waka Kotahi, they're working all over the place trying to fix roads and then if they get told to fix this here and the council comes saying afterwards 'we've got to put in all these services in' then what a waste of money."
A sequence of slides on a digital billboard poked fun at Waka Kotahi in New Plymouth in early April, 2024. Photo: Supplied
Meco Engineering general manager Kim Everest was based just down the road and had her own gripe with NZTA.
"This road is abysmal, it's super busy, heaps of heavy trucks going through, and the state of the road at our end ... they've not done something here [for] quite some time, so it would be good to get it dealt with."
She said the agency now swept the road once a month, but only after getting complaints about the number of cars being damaged and having windscreens smashed by debris falling from trucks.
Katrina Warren was co-owner of Sentiments florists at the nearby Moturoa shops.
When NZTA did the earlier work, it was problematic, Warren said.
"It disrupts us hugely. We are in and out all day delivering flowers and what could take 10 minutes ends up taking half and hour, and we didn't really get much warning until the night before. It wasn't really done that well."
Katrina Warren is co-owner of Sentiments florists at the Moturoa shops, New Plymouth. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin
There appeared to be a communication breakdown, she said.
"Why didn't they communicate and do the service work first before the road was done, you know?"
She also thought the council had a role to play.
"Yes, I think they do. You know, if they had services [to do], they know if the road is getting done and they should've communicated and said 'hey, let's get on to that now rather than later' and before the road is done. It's a bit of common sense really."
She was in two minds about the billboard.
"It's funny in one respect, but in the other respect, we don't want to see the roads ripped up again. It's just a waste of money again."
The district council said it met quarterly with Waka Kotahi, utility companies and other councils to coordinate road works in order to minimise disruption.
"The recent NZTA Waka Kotahi work on SH44 Breakwater Road is a temporary surface (micro surfacing) that will mitigate further wear and tear until we begin replacing water pipes on Breakwater Road over the next financial year."
The council did not respond to a question asking if it knew who was behind the sign.
In a statement, NZTA regional relationships director Linda Stewart thanked the person behind the billboard for "highlighting their concern".
The transport authority was aware of the district council's plans to upgrade underground services along the highway, Stewart said.
"We have been liaising with New Plymouth District Council from an early stage to align our planned renewal with the council's water main works.
"This is why the pavement has been smoothed to treat the immediate road surface concerns until a full rebuild of the road can be undertaken once the council's watermain renewals are completed in the future."
Stewart reiterated the district council's comment the smoothing treatment was a temporary solution.
"We made the decision to expedite this interim treatment after consultation with road users and residents in the area."
The pavement work cost $122,000 and focused on the residential area as the area of immediate concern.
Last month, the digital billboard appeared at the Junction Road intersection with State Highway 3, the main road out of New Plymouth heading south.
That time it took aim at the quality of recently completed roadworks.