We will be doing much-needed road repairs on Hill Street and Churchill Avenue between 7am and 6pm starting Thursday 1 August for up to eight weeks (weather dependent).

Do we really need to do this now? 

All roads need maintenance from time to time, and particularly just before they are due to be resealed. Full reseals occur every 10-15 years as the bitumen ages and becomes brittle, when the seal can crack and let water into the underlying road structure, causing more extensive and expensive repairs. This part of Hill Street was last resealed in 2007 and the seal is at the end of its life. 

Before we do a full reseal, we need to make sure all required maintenance work is complete with enough time for the new repairs to settle down. This will mean the reseal can last as long as possible. 

We understand road works can be frustrating, however so are potholes, damaged roads, and ineffective stormwater solutions. It's important that we invest in making repairs and upgrades to maintain the longevity of our roading network and water infrastructure.  

What benefit does the community get from this? 

This type of work enables everyone to travel on our roads without potholes and get to their destination safely, while also ensuring our stormwater systems keep people and property safe.  

What are we doing exactly? 

The roading repairs involve a mix of works including levelling, service cover adjustments, isolated sealing repairs, dig outs, and sump installs. 

We will also be working on the footpath area. This involves renewing the kerb and channel, installing a sub-soil drain below the kerb to intercept ground water which is weakening the road, reconstructing the vehicle access crossings, and reconstructing the path in concrete. 

Why does it take so long? 

There is a lot of different jobs to be done in this area, so we are combining the work and having multiple different contactors working together on separate jobs in the same area to minimise disruptions to the community. If we didn’t do this, we would be coming and going with multiple different teams and closures over a longer period of time. 

Hill Street specifics 

Hill Street between Churchill Avenue and Queen Street will be under a one-lane closure, with southbound traffic flowing normally (towards Richmond). Northbound traffic (towards Nelson) will be detoured via Queen Street, Wilkes Street and William Street. This one-lane closure will remain in place 24/7 until works are complete.

Churchill Avenue specifics 

Churchill Avenue between Hill Street and Griffin Street will be under a full closure during working hours (7am – 6pm), it will reopened outside of working hours and on weekends. Access for residents on Churchill Avenue will be via Warwick Street.

Once this section of Churchill Avenue is complete, work will move further up the street between Griffin Street and Barrington Place, and will be done under stop/go traffic management from 7am – 6pm.

What does this mean for me? 

I live in the area 

Residents will have access to their properties, with the assistance of our traffic management team. Depending on the type of work being done, and if we are working across an entryway, at times vehicle access may be limited, but pedestrian access will be maintained. 

Rubbish and recycling collections can still be put out as normal, and our traffic management team will assist with pickups. 

I travel through Hill Street 

Footpaths will remain open on one side of the road at all times. 

There are no changes for southbound traffic, however northbound traffic will be detoured via Queen Street, Wilkes Street and William Street. 

eBus 

The southbound eBus will travel its normal route. The Northbound eBus will detour via Queen Street, Wilkes Street and William Street.  

The one southbound bus stop in the closure area will be closed while this work is taking place. We are putting signs up at this bus stop to let regular users know. 

There is no temporary replacement bus stop as it would be the same distance as walking to next available permanent stop. The nearest bus stop for travellers is on Upper Queen Street or at the other end of Hill Street near Champion Road. 

The nearby northbound bus stop is outside of the road works area, so will remain in use as normal.

Map of works and detours

Contact us 

We apologise for any inconvenience this work may cause, and we appreciate your patience while we complete these important works to maintain our infrastructure. If you have any further concerns, please call us on 03 543 8400.