I have been making submissions to the Whangarei District Council's long-term plan over the past few years to have Three Mile Bush Rd straightened.
Our local committee worked on this for some time in the 1990s, but failed to get council to act on the ratepayer wishes to straighten the road on to its paper road alignment.
In the late 1980s, my brother and I helped fund the straightening of about 200 metres of bend outside our house. We also offered to do more by paying our rates in advance for several years plus two other options; these offers were declined by council.
One of the sad things that happened was the council legalised Three Mile Bush Rd where it is at the moment.
I and others have had near accidents, often due to drivers cutting corners with little or no visibility. The council decided to rip the road up and lime stabilise it on its current bendy route. This, to me and others, is a waste of ratepayers' money, as the funds could be used to straighten at least a portion of the worst parts of the road - or seal some of the roads out in the Pipiwai area which urgently need upgrading.
