Work on Tauranga’s annual road resurfacing programme will begin next month.

About 23km of local roads across 195 sites will be renewed in the coming months as part of Tauranga City Council’s 2026–2027 programme.

The work impacts 3% to 5% of the city’s road surfaces each year, helping to prevent water damage, reduce potholes and avoid more costly repairs.

The resurfacing season runs from late September to late March, when warmer temperatures help chipseal bind effectively to existing road surfaces.

Tauranga City Council head of transport Mike Seabourne said chipseal remained the preferred surface treatment because it was a safe, durable, and cost-effective option.

“By using chipseal, we can look after more of the road network within the funding available and help keep rates down as much as possible.”

According to Tauranga City Council, chipseal costs at least five times less than asphalt and is widely used throughout New Zealand.

The council said its use also helped secure New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi funding for about half of the programme’s $9 million cost.

The council’s City Future Committee asked staff to investigate whether communities could pay a targeted rate to retain asphalt road surfaces, rather than have them converted to chipseal.

Staff are expected to report back later this year on costs, legal requirements and how such a scheme could work.

Councillor Marten Rozeboom, the committee chairman, said that while the council’s current Long-term Plan policy remained an adequate approach, councillors had seen strong community interest in retaining more expensive asphalt surfaces, particularly in areas such as Pāpāmoa.

“We want further investigation by staff to provide communities with clear information and an opportunity to give feedback before any future Long-term Plan considerations.”

Residents whose streets will be converted from asphalt to chipseal this year have been sent letters advising them of the upcoming work.

Loose chips can be expected after resurfacing and additional sweeping may be required until the surface settles.