Footpath and road inspector Russell Sanson getting ready to do an inspection down Cole St. PHOTO/KAREN COLTMAN
KAREN COLTMAN
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At a warm 20 degrees Celsius in Masterton on Tuesday morning, Russell Sanson began his inspection of the asphalt footpath on Cole St. He was mainly looking for tripping hazards.
There are about 200km of footpaths in the Masterton district, which need to be safe for pedestrians to walk on.
To ensure this safety, each year Masterton District Council rates the condition of a quarter of its footpath network.
Independent agency Roading Logistics staff inspect the footpaths for issues including trip hazards, cracking, depressions, settlement, scabbing, potholes, pothole patches, obstructions [such as overhanging trees], as well as for aesthetic issues, such as lichen and moss.
Sanson said he had already checked the footpaths out at the Riversdale Beach and Castlepoint towns.
The council uses information from this audit to identify the eight kilometres of footpath it aims to resurface each year.
MDC roading services manager Kaine Jaquiery said the condition of footpaths was a council priority.
“We are very aware that the standard of footpaths is an important issue for residents and that is why we put a focus on auditing them,” Jaquiery said.
“We have about 200km of footpaths, and we aim to keep them in the best condition possible.”
The council checks the majority of its roading network every year, apart from low-volume roads which are inspected every two years.
Roading Logistics also inspects roads.
