Ongoing roadworks in Clyde are an ongoing hot topic, with the town turned into a permanent work site in recent months. 

A number of business owners have complained about the ongoing works, reporting parking and congestion issues, while the Central Otago District Council (CODC) says it aims to complete as much resurfacing as possible before Christmas. 

Local business owner Gareth Watt, one of the only business owners willing to go on record, says the works have been an annoyance. 

“Yeah it’s slightly annoying but not so bad now they’re actually spraying the roads wet more often and to improve would be to seal each piece as they go along rather than leave it all ripped up.”

Mayor Tim Cadogan says, as a resident of Clyde, he was “as aware as anyone of how frustrating the ongoing road works connected with getting a big part of the town off septic tanks has been”.

“We are on the home stretch now in terms of the road works and disruptions and I have been in real admiration of how the businesses and residents have put up with this ongoing annoyance.”

Sealing being done to Sunderland Street, Clyde. 

CODC Capital Project Programme Manager Patrick Keenan says the ongoing Clyde infrastructure works programme has hit delays. 

“In terms of delays for the Clyde wastewater reticulation stage 1 programme, there are a few reasons. 

“COVID-19 lockdowns have created the main disruptions to the programme with complete project work shutdowns under Alert Level 4 from 17-31 August and then contractors working the following week under Alert Level 3 restrictions. 

“This meant we came out of our winter programme later than hoped.”

Patrick says a major hurdle in Clyde is juggling the work while being as efficient and cost-effective as possible. 

“A challenge for the Clyde wastewater project is to get all the public laterals  - the pipe that runs from the main to the private property boundary - completed in a section before reinstating and sealing all the trenches in a length of road - this is the most efficient and cost-effective approach.”

Clyde has been undergoing major works to upgrade wastewater infrastructure. 

Council says it aims to complete as much resurfacing as possible before the Christmas break; decrease the need for dust suppression over the Christmas period; reseal permanently to avoid rework in the new year; and to complete the commercial area in one go to minimise multiple disruptions to local business.

“We understand the current frustration for the community, but we hope it is a case of it being a short-term ‘pain’ for long-term gain. 

“This inconvenient and most complex stretch of our roadworks is necessary in order to achieve all these goals.”

In terms of the overall Clyde Wastewater project there is still an ongoing programme ahead. 

The CODC says more public communication and direct correspondence with property owners in Stage 1 will continue in the new year.