The northern end of Dee St will see significant traffic impacts during work on the stormwater main pipe network along Dee and Herbert St starting next week.

Various stormwater, sewerage and water pipes throughout the city have been upgraded over the past year as part of Invercargill City Council’s ongoing three waters renewal projects.

Council Group Manager Infrastructure Erin Moogan said the existing stormwater pipe network on Herbert and Dee St was ageing, undersized and needed to be replaced.

“Invercargill’s stormwater network is a critical part of our three waters infrastructure,” she said.

“The stormwater system is the first line of defence during a heavy weather event and its function is to disperse surface water into the stormwater system rather than water inundating streets and properties.”

The work site will encompass all of Herbert St from the Russell St intersection to the Dee St lights, carry on through the Dee St intersection and northwards to the Bay Rd bridge.

Stage 1 would take place between March 6 and March 25 and will see work begin just to the west of the Waihōpai Bridge. This would mean the cycle and walking path under the bridge would be closed, she said.

Stage 2, on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 March, would see Dee St fully closed from Bay Rd to Herbert St for those two days. Traffic would be diverted through either Bay Rd or Bainfield Rd during this time.

From March 27 Dee St would be re-opened with one lane for southbound and one lane for northbound traffic.

Work would also be taking place on Herbert St that would close the eastbound lane, with dates for this still to be confirmed, she said.

This project joins other Council three waters renewal works including the Kennington wastewater rising main renewal and recent work on Clyde St. Council is committed to ensuring our three waters infrastructure is best able to provide service and protection to our community, Moogan said.