11 August 2026

Closure of the intersection of Durham Street and Blackett Street

Our Contractors have made a good progress on the Blackett Street Stormwater Upgrade, and they are starting work on the Durham/ Blackett Street intersection starting Monday 17 August for 4 weeks.

The intersection will need to remain closed for approximately 4 weeks while we complete this section.

Thanks for your patience and cooperation.

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July 2026

The Council have now engaged a contractor, Ongrade Drainage & Excavation, who will be shortly commencing work. The work will be conducted on two fronts — between King and Good Streets, and between Good and Ashley Streets. Work is expected to be completed by mid-November 2026.

The work will include

• Installation of approximately 440m of stormwater pipes by open excavation within the road reserve.
• Service relocations, including power, telecommunications and water, to enable installation of the new stormwater pipes.
• Installation of nine new manholes.
• 40m of water pipe renewal outside 20 Blackett Street and 25 Ashley Street.
• Construction of new footpath at multiple locations near the Blackett/Ashley Streets roundabout.

Timing of work

Ongrade plan to start on site from 27 July 2026. Work is due to be completed in November.

How the work may affect you

Construction will result in temporary noise and access impacts along the street, which are typical for this type of work. Although the overall construction period is up to five months, work will progressively move along the street rather than remaining in one location. Construction will start on two fronts, with one crew starting at Good Street and working toward King Street, while another crew commences at Ashley Street and progresses toward Good Street. Please note that work will proceed more slowly than in previous projects in the area due to the large size of the stormwater pipes being installed.

There is a small amount of water supply upgrade being undertaken as part of the project. Some residents may experience a temporary disruption to their supply while this is undertaken. The contractor, Ongrade, will give more precise information on the duration and impacts to those directly affected.

Your bin collection location may be impacted, in which case the contractor, Ongrade, will give you specific instructions regarding this.

Traffic impacts

Traffic management will be in place where there are construction works. This may cause minor delays to accessing your property and loss of parking around the work and roading detours as required. Parts of streets may be temporarily closed or reduced to one lane while construction works are being undertaken in the area.

Blackett Street will be closed on the eastbound lane from King Street to Ashley Street for up to three months. Good Street and Durham Street will remain open until the work needs to cross these intersections – updates will follow as the work progresses.

Across the Blackett/Ashley Streets roundabout, the majority of work will be done at night to avoid lane closures during the daytime.

General impacts

Notice of changes in traffic management

We will do our best to give you enough notice to adjust to any changes in traffic management, please keep an eye out for more updates.

Weather

In the event of bad weather or unforeseen circumstances, the work may be delayed.

Safety

Please warn your children of the dangers posed by road works. Ensure that they stay well back from the work site and they follow the directions of the workers.

Noise and dirt

Road work is a noisy, dirty business — but please bear with us. We will be doing all we can to minimise the impact on your home/business. Your cooperation and patience will help us get the job done as quickly as possible. All work will be carried out between the stated hours and over week days only to help minimise the impact on the community.

Easy does it

Bitumen, concrete and other road repair materials require a bit of care after they are applied. Please treat all new surfaces with extra care following the completion of this project.

Thank you for your patience while we complete this work. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

For more information please contact

Sristy Malla Senior Project Engineer Waimakariri District Council Phone: 0800 965 468 Mobile: 027 263 9210 Email: sristy.malla@wmk.govt.nz

Scott Winter Contract Manager Ongrade Drainage & Excavation Mobile: 027 411 4115 Email: scott@ongradedrainage.co.nz