by Pat Seymour
It is really regrettable to see the continued degradation of the seafront at Makorori and Turihaua threatening the state highway along this section of SH35. And not just by the sea.
There is further damage to the dunes at Makorori by vehicles at the privately owned section of beachfront where drivers have made new access points from the state highway. At the weekend I witnessed one driver in a relatively new ute stuck in the wet section of the dunes midway along the beach. Why do some people have to drive in the muddiest and wet section of the dunes and cause more damage?
Waka Kotahi has an obligation to maintain the state highway for the benefit of all road users and has had a plan to protect the highway at Turihaua point for at least four years. It took many months, more than a year I believe, to get the resource consent but I understand they do have that consent and the protection is to happen — but when?
A short section of restoration was undertaken when the road was critically threatened in the past year, but on a limited section. Now more erosion is occurring immediately adjacent to that section. It is plainly not sensible to delay this planned restoration, but when can we expect to see it undertaken?
Many years ago some serious rock stabilisation work was done along the edge of the road and planted with flax; the road and the rock revetment is stable and doing the job that it was designed to do. However, today we see a very piecemeal approach from Waka Kotahi.
While restoration of cyclone-affected road is a priority, these essential works have been in the planning for years. Is Waka Kotahi not able to do both sensible maintenance and road protection and emergency work at the same time?
Another beautiful Norfolk pine planted to provide shade for beach users by the late Bill Williams some 20 years ago is on a 45 degree angle, with its roots torn out by the heavy seas of the past week. If proper protection was undertaken along the whole section of the Turihaua beach then the dunes would be protected for future generations to enjoy the beachfront and the shade that Bill Williams planned to provide for all beach users.
Over the past year, several pohutukawa and some Norfolk pines have been toppled into the sea when the sea has eroded into what once was a dune foreshore. The state highway is not far from being substantially threatened by the sea along this section.
Can we expect some action from the parties responsible for the maintenance of the highway, which is the access to the East Coast for our residents and for many businesses?
And while we are asking for some attention, the spray programme to remove the dreadful spreading Argentine pampas needs to be kick-started with the advent of better weather. Otherwise all our beach front and state highway will be sprouting that dreadful spreading weed.
