27 August 2004

Tree removal closes part of Middleton Road

A section of Middleton Road will be closed to traffic on Tuesday 31 August and Wednesday 1 September so seven large hazardous trees damaged in last week’s storm can be removed.

Middleton Road between Churton Drive and Wingfield Place will be closed between 9am and 5pm on both days so a large crane can be used to lift the pine and gum trees from a bank above the road. There will be a detour through Churton Drive and Halswater Drive.

The affected section of Middleton Road will be reopened to traffic after 5pm on Tuesday but a small section will be one lane only, controlled by temporary traffic signals.

City Council Arboricultural Manager Rob Slater says the trees are about 15 to 20 metres above the road and will come down before long if they are not removed. The work will be carried out by Treescape Ltd.

“We apologise in advance for any inconvenience this work may cause – unfortunately it has to be done.”

Meanwhile plans to remove unstable pine trees from a Seatoun walkway by helicopter today (Friday) have had to be postponed due to the weather. The Fortification Road walkway will remain closed until the work can be carried out, hopefully on Monday 30 August.

Mr Slater says City Council staff and contractors have been working hard over the last couple of weeks to remove and secure storm-damaged trees. Dealing with hazardous trees close to roads or affecting streams is still the priorty.

“We’ll then turn our attention to the city’s parks and reserves.”

A number of tracks are closed due to fallen or hazardous trees. These include the track from the top of the Makara Hill Road down to Karori Park; the section of the Eastern Walkway between the Pass of Branda and Beacon Hill and the Koru Track in Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park and a section of track on Mt Victoria above Charles Plimmer Park. Tinakori Hill has also been hard hit for the second time this year and all tracks in the area are closed including the section of the Northern Walkway between Thorndon and Wadestown.

ENDS

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