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Getting ready for summer season of reseals

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PUBLISHED: 18 SEPT 2025
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With warmer weather on the horizon, NPDC is gearing up for its summer resealing programme.

Crews have already hit the ground, carrying out essential pre-seal repairs to ensure the surface is ready for the final chip-seal layer, which can only be applied when the weather is warmer.

NPDC Transportation Operations Lead John Eagles says on average, the district’s road are resealed about every 20 years.

“By then, the bitumen has usually become brittle and cracked, allowing water to seep in and damage the road’s foundation. That’s when deterioration speeds up.”

But it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.

“We inspect each road before resealing. If it’s still in good shape, we’ll defer the work and prioritise roads that need attention sooner,” John adds. “Our aim is to stay ahead of the curve—maintaining roads before they become a problem.”

This season’s $3.6 million resealing programme includes resealing 27km of rural and 5km of urban roads.

Some of the key stretches getting a refresh are Egmont Road (2km), Okau Road - just north of Mt Messenger (7.8km), and 1.2km on Tarata Road inland from Inglewood.

Fast facts:

  • NPDC looks after more than 1,300km of urban and rural roads and 630km of footpaths across the district.
  • In 2025/26, the Council will spend $24m on maintenance, operations and renewals on our roading network.
  • About 80 per cent of this expenditure attracts a 50 per cent subsidy from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

Caption: Smart Road in New Plymouth is one of the sites that are having repairs before they get a new seal this season.

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Page last updated: 09:40am Thu 18 September 2025

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