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Over the next five months 70 kilometres of roads in the Far North will be receiving a new coat of bitumen in the course of the summer resealing programme.

A $2.7 million Far North District Council contract has been let to Downer Ltd and work is scheduled to start this month.

"We don't want residents to be taken by surprise and to find the access to their properties is temporarily blocked just at the time they have an urgent appointment or are rushing to pick up children from school," council Project Manager Allan Shadbolt said today.

"However it will not be possible to cover every contingency and there may be some temporary inconvenience. We are seeking the co-operation and understanding of residents while the work is in progress.

Residents adjoining roads in urban areas about to be resealed can expect to receive a leaflet from the project contractors, detailing any work in their area.

"The advance warning should at least mean people have time to make alternate arrangements to avoid getting caught up in the work. We are asking that residents take simple precautions such as making sure their vehicles are not left parked on the road on the day the sealing is about to start," he said.

In the event of a genuine emergency the contractors if approached will do all they can to get people on their way.

"If the advance warnings are heeded it means the contractor can get on with the job and costs can be kept down," Mr Shadbolt said.

 

"We are also asking residents to keep children well back from the sealing operation for their own safety. It is also a good idea to keep pets locked up or under control while the work is proceeding," he said.

Traffic control would be in place during and following the works and motorists were asked to comply with the traffic management staff and to respect any speed warning signs.

"This is not just for the safety of the workers and road users but also to prevent damage to the new surfacing.

"Bitumen is very 'lively' and can be picked up on shoes and the feet of your pets and inadvertently be tracked inside the house. It can be fairly readily removed from hard surfaces with the use of kerosene or mineral turpentine, but it is always better to avoid these situations where possible," he said.

Mr Shadbolt said these precautions would be spelt out in the circular to the householders, together with a contact number for the contractor.

Road resealing involved applying an overlay of bitumen and sealing chips over an existing sealed surface to help waterproof the road and extend pavement life.

"As a rule of thumb we try to make sure reseals are carried out on a 15-year-cycle. But the timeframe can vary depending on local circumstances," he said.