A Welcome Bay resident says he was so sick of looking at an overgrown traffic island at the gateway to his neighbourhood that he decided to mow it himself.
By Ayla Yeoman of Local Democracy Reporting
Robert Coe said it had been at least six months since the New Zealand Transport Agency mowed the grass island in the middle of the Hairini St/Welcome Bay Rd roundabout.
“Others in the community have been complaining about it.”
He said he went past the overgrown grass strip every day.
“I got sick of looking at it.
“The state of it is disgraceful.”
He said it made the Welcome Bay neighbourhood look neglected and that he was considering mowing other areas of the city as well.
An NZTA spokesperson said the agency was responsible for maintaining the area at the Welcome Bay entrance.
“It is expected to be mowed within the next few weeks as part of the maintenance programme currently underway across Tauranga’s urban state highway network.”
Vegetation maintenance was also planned across the network before Christmas and early in 2027.
“NZTA prioritises vegetation maintenance that keeps road users safe, with funding focused on safety rather than appearance alone.”
The agency asked members of the public not to mow or carry out other vegetation work within the state highway corridor, as working close to live traffic could put them at risk.
It said residents could report vegetation or other maintenance issues on the state highway network by calling 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49).
A Tauranga City Council statement said its mowing teams were working furiously to keep up with the “spring flush” of grass growth across the city’s 10 million square metres of greenery.
They had a plan, but some areas may look more overgrown than usual – especially with an El Niño weather pattern to contend with.
The council manages vegetation control and grass mowing on local roads, while NZTA manages state highway corridors.
The council said green-fingered locals keen to pitch in could join its volunteer-led maintenance and planting programme.
Local Democracy Reporting is local-body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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