Queenstown Lakes District Council programme director Gareth Noble says while not all road cones are due to council work, the council does have several projects under way that require traffic management, including the lakefront development and the North Wanaka wastewater and water supply upgrades.
"We all have our views but there’s no doubt the number of orange and white gremlins has increased around Wanaka these past few months... These projects represent major long-term investment by the council in Wanaka’s infrastructure.
"A growing resident population and, until recently, rising visitor numbers have been putting pressure on pipes, cables and roads for several years," Mr Noble said.
The majority of the lakefront work, plus a Golf Course Rd pipeline diversion and a pump station in Mt Aspiring Rd, should be completed by Christmas.
However, cones and diversions on North Wanaka projects, particularly for Aubrey Rd, could be in place until April.
Meanwhile, the council is investigating and modelling for stormwater projects over the next 10 years.
QLDC strategy and asset planning manager Mark Baker said the stormwater budget for the Wanaka-Upper Clutha ward 2021-31 10-year plan was about $4.25 million, the majority of the budget destined for Wanaka township.
The comparable 10-year budget for Wakatipu is about $8.3 million.
Several stormwater projects are already under way in Wanaka, including upgrades at Stone St, Bullock Creek, Aubrey Rd, Rata St, and Anderson Rd.
Work includes pipe upgrades, new soakage pits, a stormwater detention facility and stormwater flow diversion and treatment.
Some of the budget earmarked in the plan is to investigate what further investment might be required, Mr Baker said.
To help with the investigation, the council last week released new stormwater flood hazard maps for Wanaka and Albert Town.
