By Maia Hart, Local Democracy Reporter
Almost a year into repairs on a flood-hit Marlborough Sounds road, residents have been told another "hard closure" will be needed.
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The July 2021 storm caused 1600 faults in Marlborough's roading network, half of which were in the Marlborough Sounds. To date, 1000 of those faults have been repaired.
But there's still a way to go along Kenepuru Rd in the Marlborough Sounds, with the road not expected to be completed until June next year.
Representatives from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Marlborough Roads and the Marlborough District Council, including councillors Nadine Taylor, Barbara Faulls and Francis Maher were at the two public meetings with residents on Thursday - the first in Waitaria Bay attended by over 50 people, and the other in Portage with about 40 present.
Kenepuru and Central Sounds Residents Association treasurer Stefan Schulz attended both meetings.
"The most important thing is to make sure really, that the people in charge, that make these decisions on our behalf know what the community needs," Schulz said.
Schulz said by comparing both meetings, it was easy to see everyone's needs were "completely different".
"I'm one of the lucky ones. I have to go through the closures, wherever they are, but we only have to get out every five or six weeks and do a full day of shopping," he said.
"But on the contrary, especially the businesses, they are really bleeding. If they make any money this year they can be more than happy, but quite a few will be going backwards.
"From a community perspective I think we need to look after these people. Because we are not all a bunch of retirees, waiting for the next sunshine, so we can have a sip and sunbathe."
He said they needed to hold these "big organisations" to account to make sure the work was happening as efficiently as possible.
Schulz told the group in the first meeting, he was concerned that what happened with the road, "happened for good reason" as the level of maintenance was not up to scratch. His statement was met by a round of applause from the rest of the room.
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Marlborough Roads manager Steve Murrin said the funding they had been allocated, 95 percent of which was coming from Waka Kotahi, was to bring the road back to the standard it was, rather than make improvements.
However, if the required standard from an engineering point of view had changed, then they would need to meet that standard.
While the road is partially reopened it generally closed throughout the day to allow roadworks to take place.
Waka Kotahi and Marlborough Roads met with farmers over Zoom a few weeks ago and proposed making some changes to opening hours, which they presented to the group at the meeting, as a means of "getting the balance right".
This included a change in the lunchtime opening, to 1pm-1.45pm to align with the Linkwater School lunch break, a "town day" on Wednesdays which would see the road open from 1pm, and allowing the Linkwater school bus through at 3.30pm, so children can spend a full day at school.
The group were also proposing to have the hard closure, known as the "Water Tank Slip" 20km into the road, after Easter weekend next year.
This was because they wanted to make sure they did not close the road during the busy season. However, those at the meeting asked if this was a preferred option, or whether it should be brought forward.
Photo: LDR/ Maia Hart
The hard closure would still mean the road would be open on the weekend, but one resident in the first meeting asked if they could open on a weekday to allow residents to see the doctor, dentist and go to the bank.
Titrangi farmer and volunteer firefighter Braden Moleta asked if they had considered emergency services during the hard closure, because some of them would need to get out.
Murrin said they would make sure there were measures in place for this, which may mean having a vehicle on the other side of the slip.
Moleta said the barge subsidy from the council, to help move stock, was not a viable option.
"That subsidy is $500 per barge, that's 20 percent of the running cost," Moleta said.
"So as of now, we're losing money, because there's no network."
The second group agreed it was critical their local postman could get through, even during the hard closure. They, too, wanted a weekday open, so they could make appointments in town.
Councillor Francis Maher did not attend the second meeting, as he found out he was a Covid-19 household contact, and had to wait in the car.
Recovery programme completion estimates:
- Kenepuru Rd (Linkwater to Portage) - 30/06/23
- Kenepuru Rd (Portage to outer Sounds) - 17/02/23
- Queen Charlotte Dr - 30/03/23
- Pelorus - 11/07/22
- Waihopai (minor works) - 06/04/22
- Waihopai (bridge replacement) - 30/06/23
- Awatere Valley - 14/10/22
- Other - 09/12/22
Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air