Road safety

Latest reports from PCC re the Pukerua Beach Road situation.

Council has a geologist on site at the moment and PCC will give updates. Its all just precautionary at this point. Its been challenging weather across the whole city this weekend. There have just been reports of some cracks on Pukerua Beach Rd so they are assessing that currently and any slip risks to Ocean Parade.
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There are numerous crews out this way assessing the conditions. and a few PCC staff on the ground speaking to the residents who may be impacted. PCC wanted to reassure residents that Downer will be on site all night and PCC Emergency staff are also here should anyone need support with finding alternative accommodation (should any areas be deemed unsafe – which has not been confirmed). PCC will send an update when there more info from the crew on the ground.

Good morning,

This email is intended to update you on our progress with the investigation around the slips on Pukerua Bay Beach Road.

Our thanks to the residents who have worked with the Council and geotechnical specialists ENGEO to share their knowledge, and allow us access to their properties.

We received ENGEO’s latest report yesterday. We will make it available once we’ve had time to review it and are able to confirm our preferred options. We are looking at several stability options with ENGEO and will need to align them with available funding.

We appreciate you are keen to see some action and we ask you to be patient so we can fully understand the cause of the slips and plan accordingly.

Our maintenance contractor Downer continues to monitor the road during heavy rain, and clear rock falls, as it did last weekend.

ENGEO has good local knowledge of the area and underlying issues having been involved with investigations into the following slips:
• 6 Ocean Parade (November 2016).
• 7A Haunui Way (2017 – 2018).
• 41 Haunui Road (October 2018).
• 57 Haunui Road (November 2020).
• 47 Haunui Road (December 2020).
• 19 Ocean Parade (March to August 2021).
• 1 Ocean Parade (8 December 2021).

The two (2) crib walls on Pukerua Beach Road are a separate matter to the slips but will also be investigated (to come).

Wellington Water recently undertook a leak detection survey of the water pipes in the area above Pukerua Beach Road:
• Two (2) minor leaks were discovered.
• To the best of their knowledge there are no stormwater pipes in the area.
• Residents’ stormwater is discharged to the ground via soakage pits.
• The likelihood that a leaky potable and/or stormwater pipe is contributing to the groundwater concerns in the area is very unlikely.
• An assessment of potential leaks from sewerage pipes is ongoing.

The common theme in all these slips is that they appear to be the result of erosion from water flow of both surface water and groundwater. It is understood that many, if not all, of the stormwater drains from the properties along Haunui Way and Haunui Road discharge directly to the ground, and this combined with natural infiltration of surface water through highly permeable surface soils, is the likely main reason for high groundwater flows in the area.

Rest assured remedial actions are in the planning phase and will be programmed accordingly (especially external funding).

We will continue to keep in touch as our investigations continue, and welcome your feedback.


Ngā mihi
Claire

There have been some further rockfalls around te slip on Pukerua Beach Road. PCC will be monitoring the area while the weather continues on its current phase and will take action as and if necessary.

Capital Journeys have advised that reconstruction work will start on the crash barrier just north of the Northern Outlook. The text follows:

We are replacing a 170m roadside barrier at the northern end of Pukerua Bay. The work will take place at night, 8pm-4.30am from Monday night 7 February for approximately 8 to 14 nights – weather permitting.

The current barrier has reached its scheduled end-of-life and will be upgraded to the latest safety standards.

This is a lengthy job because of the site’s complexities. The posts on which the barrier is fixed need to be driven into ground close to a major underground communications line. To prevent this line being struck, a hydrovac will be used to pothole each post location before driving the posts. This will be noisy work but, where possible, two hydrovacs will be used to reduce the amount of time taken to drive the posts. Other noisy machinery includes an excavator, grinder and plate compactor.

Attached is a copy of the notice to residents near the work. The notice will be delivered tomorrow, Wednesday.

There will be stop/go traffic control in place from 7pm to 5.30am.

Pukerua Beach Road slip – update

From Claire Giblin PCC

This is a quick update to let you know what work has been done and what plans are in place regarding the slip that occurred above Pukerua Beach Road in December last year. Thank you to residents who have provided feedback and information, plus those who have given us access to their properties to review the slip. We appreciate this is an important issue for many of you and want to reassure you that we are treating it as a priority. Below is a list of actions underway: 

• Geotechnical experts from ENGEO are continuing to assess the slip, identify any risks and possible remedial actions
• We are looking at hydro-seeding the areas that have slipped to stabilise any remaining loose surface soil
• We have asked Wellington Water to investigate for leaks on Haunui Way and Haunui Road to assist in locating the source of ongoing water run-off
• We have carried out a drone inspection of the area
• Our CE Wendy Water and Deputy CE Andrew Dalziel have toured the area with roading engineers to see the slip first hand
• We will continue to keep residents informed, and are always interested to hear your views and ideas.

Ngā mihi
Claire