Auckland road condition getting worse

**Marmoot** · 28th March 2005, 10:16

Is it just me or anybody else notice Auckland (mainly City centre areas) road condition is getting worse?

I have quite a problem with Vector (energy) repaired areas now being undullating bumpy roads and the merging between new and old seal having big gaps (height difference) of sometimes up to 1 inches (Beach Rd is a good example) giving extra challenges especially in the wet.

Also, the way they block roads/lanes off for construction is now so damn bloody awful, without prior warnings a few metres before hand, and there you suddenly find yourself running out of lanes because there is a big crane truck hidden behind the corner, etc (Anzac Ave is a good example).

Not to mention the evermore increasing number of shiny tarseal snakes on the road making it extra slippery in the wet (Fanshawe St is a good example).

Anybody works for Vector here? Care to give opinion?
Anybody ever take this matter to City Council?

**crashe** · 28th March 2005, 13:23

Its not just those few roads that you mentioned....
It seems to be happening all over Auckland....
They dig a hole fill it... and some other company comes along not long after and digs a hole near the original hole.. and so on and so...
and there is usually a one inch drop in the road... and no road warning out at all... and its worse when the street lighting aint working and its pitch black...

When they worked along Te Atatu Road, they put one inch thick steel plates across the holes when they weren't working in that particular spot... now that was slippery when it got wet.... so you were going up one inch above the normal road...

That black shiney strip along the roads is to fill in all the crack in the road sealing... and there are a lot of cracks out there...

**sAsLEX** · 28th March 2005, 13:28

coming down symonds st is bad for the height difference thing as it is right on the line taken when splitting!! bloody annoying having the bike bucking around under you on a sports bike!

**Marmoot** · 28th March 2005, 17:15

yea, but the point is: is it just me or was it used to be different say 2 years ago?

If it is really different, it would be great if we can pinpoint some of these cowboy constructicons and bring them up to city council's attention in a (vain) hope that this dodgy practice get done over.

Anybody can help me write something to raise it up to City Council? Or shall we write something with 50+ signatures on it?

**Motu** · 28th March 2005, 17:19

2 years? - shit mate,I can go back 35 years of riding on Auckland streets,never had a problem then,don't have one now...

**Ixion** · 28th March 2005, 17:25

Them steel plates are rather nasty, but I can't really say that it's worse than it used to be. It was always bad in places, they build the roads for cages, not bikes. Makes for the odd "eeekkkk" but I regard it as just part of the rich variety of motorcycling experiences.
Doubt that any council is going to be willing to finish the roads to track standards,so I guess it's just something we have to live with and ride accordingly

**Will** · 28th March 2005, 17:34

Everything is detoriarating, it's all turning to shit.

Apathy is also a big problem.

I think it all started with those white lines.

Why use something that is slippery at the best of times, and in the rain, can't be seen so that you can't avoid them.

Then the road surface..... Well, I have heard that those shiney patches are because the bitumin mix is wrong ( as in cheap). If there was litigation available in this country, maybe those responsible would be held responsible?

But what can we do?

Especially as biking seems to be a dying recreation.

**Waylander** · 28th March 2005, 17:37

Originally Posted by Ixion

Them steel plates are rather nasty, but I can't really say that it's worse than it used to be. It was always bad in places, they build the roads for cages, not bikes. Makes for the odd "eeekkkk" but I regard it as just part of the rich variety of motorcycling experiences.
Doubt that any council is going to be willing to finish the roads to track standards,so I guess it's just something we have to live with and ride accordingly

Doesn't have to be track stanard or anything just a bit more bike conscious, exspecially if they want motorbike involved accidents to go down.

**wkid_one** · 28th March 2005, 20:55

Me thinks you would be better speaking to the Organ Grinder and not the monkey......Councils don't give a fuck

PS - don't forget to put on that same petition that you are happy to support your desired improvement in roading through an increase in your rates rates - because you are of course prepared to pay for what you are asking right - or do you expect it to happen for free!!!!????

**Marmoot** · 29th March 2005, 09:03

Originally Posted by wkid_one

PS - don't forget to put on that same petition that you are happy to support your desired improvement in roading through an increase in your rates rates - because you are of course prepared to pay for what you are asking right - or do you expect it to happen for free!!!!????

Well, it HAS gone up and as far as I can hear it WILL go up again next year anyway.

We are not requesting smooth blacktop, but at least a less-dangerous surface.

Example: Anzac Ave got a tramway-like 0.5m wide groove that runs for around 100m along a curving road, that is about 1 inch deep and give dangerous situation especially when wet.

People, please keep this topic constructive rather than simply clowning around. I am serious about raising this issue, but only if I can get some help from you guys. I just don't have enough resources (time, effort, motivation) to do it alone.

**Hitcher** · 29th March 2005, 09:32

Ah well. Expect to see some action after 1 April when EVERYBODY in New Zealand's contribution to Auckland's roads goes up by 5 cents a litre.

It's nothing a small thermonuclear device wouldn't cure reasonably quickly...

**Motu** · 29th March 2005, 09:45

Originally Posted by Marmoot

Example: Anzac Ave got a tramway-like 0.5m wide groove that runs for around 100m along a curving road, that is about 1 inch deep and give dangerous situation especially when wet.

Ever ridden a bike in Melbourne? They have real tram tracks.Up until a few years ago Quay st had train tracks down the middle,it was just part of learning how to control your bike.I also remember when some corners had grooves cut into them - the ''S'' curves on the Mt Wellington Highway around Mt Richmond were a bit of thrill on a bike.

**wkid_one** · 29th March 2005, 12:35

Originally Posted by Marmoot

People, please keep this topic constructive rather than simply clowning around. I am serious about raising this issue, but only if I can get some help from you guys. I just don't have enough resources (time, effort, motivation) to do it alone.

Ahhh.....reads: wants someone else to fix it for me!

I was being construtive you nonce - don't bother with the councils

**Ixion** · 29th March 2005, 12:50

Originally Posted by Motu

Ever ridden a bike in Melbourne? They have real tram tracks.Up until a few years ago Quay st had train tracks down the middle,it was just part of learning how to control your bike.I also remember when some corners had grooves cut into them - the ''S'' curves on the Mt Wellington Highway around Mt Richmond were a bit of thrill on a bike.

Yeah the train lines were tricky. The narrow front wheels of bikes then could drop straight into the "groove" between the rail and the road (they were recessed into the road, and in some palces followed along the road, not across it). Instant stop, for the bike, and a flying lesson for the rider. Even if that didn't happen once you got stuck in them it was near impossible to get out.

I think thre are still some of those grooved corners around - encountered one about 6 months ago, but I can't remember where. Just remember swearing at it.

**Hitcher** · 29th March 2005, 12:56

Originally Posted by Marmoot

People, please keep this topic constructive rather than simply clowning around. I am serious about raising this issue, but only if I can get some help from you guys. I just don't have enough resources (time, effort, motivation) to do it alone.

I was being serious too. Blow the place up!