The Council is responsible to facilitate the coordination of works on the road corridor to ensure everyone who digs up the road uses a ‘dig once’ approach wherever practicable.
The ‘dig once’ approach is where utility operators plan their work together so we can minimise the number of times the road is dug up. Minimising the disruption to road users and residents, reduces costs and prevents unnecessary damage to existing road and utility assets in the transport corridor.
What the Road Corridor Manager team does
The Road Corridor Manager is responsible to coordinate Works (where practicable) and sharing forward work plans as well as leading regional coordination meetings so everyone knows what’s going on.
The Council’s road corridor access coordination team:
- develops methods, systems and practices to coordinate planned work in the transport corridor
- provides a contact point for all stakeholders
- oversees Works coordination activities to ensure coordination is undertaken routinely and successfully and
- facilitates regional coordination meetings to share information.
The Council aims for best practice and has established a 'dig once' policy to protect transport and underground utility assets, and to make sure as much of the roading network as possible is available to the public.
The requirements for coordination are laid down in the Utilities Access Act 2010(external link) and the related National Code of Practice for Utility Operators' Access to Transport Corridors(external link) which was developed by the New Zealand Utilities Advisory Group(external link) (NZUAG).
What we need from you
All parties carrying out work in the road corridor are expected to make every effort to coordinate the carrying out of their planned Works with that of others and promote a ‘dig once’ approach.
If your Works are affecting the normal operation of the road corridor, it must be entered into www.forwardworks.co.nz(external link) and updated at least every month. This allows Christchurch City Council staff and Utility Operators, and others to view the planned Works, start talks with the project owners and coordinate Works under the 'dig once' approach.
For each instance of planned work, we need the details of:
- the nature of the planned Works
- location
- timing
- contact details.