Cheaper finish gives city extra footpaths

Auckland City's transport committee wants to use annual savings of up to $4.8 million from a cheaper footpath surface to largely reverse its cuts to an ambitious renewals programme.

The committee, buoyed by a favourable response to a "brushed" concrete and oxide surface finish from 66 per cent of 849 Aucklanders invited to inspect the product, decided yesterday to recommend to fellow councillors that savings be re-invested in new footpaths.

The existing exposed aggregate finish for the city's footpaths requires contractors to add an extra process to their efforts.

A staff report said a potential annual saving of $4.8 million yet to be confirmed in negotiations with the contractors would give the city 40,000sq m of extra footpaths.

That was 29 per cent more footpaths than allowed for in a budget of $67.5 million over three years.

Although previous public consultations in 2006 revealed a strong aversion by Aucklanders to white broomed concrete, the addition of oxide to darken the surface appears to have swayed opinions.

Of those surveyed last month, 38 per cent preferred an 8 per cent oxide pigmentation, which produced a darker result more similar to the exposed aggregate finish, rather than a 4 per cent blend, favoured by 28 per cent.

The latest findings followed a $11.369 million cut in the council's footpaths renewals budget for this year and next, to $22.5 million, which would have bought 140,000sq m of new paths instead of 200,000sq m initially envisaged.

If a meeting of combined council committees accepts yesterday's suggestion, that output is likely to rise back to at least 180,000sq m of new footpaths.

Transport committee chairman Ken Baguley said yesterday he was delighted that by being "dogmatic", the council was able to deliver better value for ratepayers in tough times.

He said the change in the surface finish did not mean any compromise to the structure of the city's footpaths.

Council staff investigated halving the thickness of the base course material beneath a 100mm concrete layer to just 50mm.

But they recommended against doing so after estimating it would reduce the 50-year design life of footpaths by 10 years.

The committee recommendation was not opposed by minority City Vision councillors, although Graeme Easte queried a lack of consultation with pedestrian advocacy group Walk Auckland.

Mr Baguley said the committee was not yet being asked to make a final decision about the new surface finish, partly because of a need for more consultation, including with the city's community boards.

VALUE ADDED
* Original footpaths budget for 2009-2010 - $33,869,000 for between 200,000sq m and 205,000sq m of footpaths
* Revised budget - $22,500,000 for 140,000-145,000sq m
* With estimated contract savings for cheaper surface - $22,500,000 for 180,000-185,000sq m