The Invercargill City Council started work to upgrade the Stead St stopbank last week, resulting in changes to traffic flow in the area for about six months.
People will be able to travel from central Invercargill to Otatara via Stead St, but people in Otatara who want to get to Invercargill will have to do so via Otatara and Bay Rds, adding about 10 minutes to the trip.
The closure of the main road was criticised by some members of the Otatara community and raised questions about the route of the traditional Surf to City, which attracts about 3000 walkers, runners, and cyclists every year.
It usually starts at Oreti Beach and finishes at Queens Park, meaning the Stead St road is a key street for the event.
Active Southland chief executive Brendon McDermott said the planning for next year’s Invercargill City Council Surf to City was under way.
As with any large-scale event being planned, there was a lot to consider, he said.
‘‘The work being done on Dunns Rd is just one part of considerations for this event planning.’’
Active Southland had a positive working relationship with the city council, and both were working closely to mitigate any issue, he said.
‘‘At this stage we see no reason why we can’t run the event on its usual course. However, this will be subject to the usual processes and discussions that we have with the city council every year around traffic management requirements.’’
He was hopeful of being able to offer the event to the community in its usual format next year on March 13.
