Vehicle crossings
A vehicle crossing is the section of driveway from the front of the property boundary to the roadway. It includes any crossing constructed over a footpath, curb, berm, water channel, or drain.
There are two types of vehicle crossings – urban and rural, both of which have specific requirements.
Who is responsible for a vehicle crossing?
Although Whanganui District Council owns the road reserve, the initial construction (including the cost) is the property owner’s responsibility. The council will ensure that construction of the vehicle crossing complies with the relevant national standards, and District Plan specifications.
On-going maintenance or repair of the vehicle crossing is the property owner’s responsibility.
Rural property owners are also responsible for ensuring that any culvert pipes under a vehicle crossing are kept clear of debris and do not cause a flooding nuisance or damage to the road.
From 17 July 2024, all new applications for a service connection, such as a vehicle crossing, will be assessed to see if they need to pay development contributions– fees payable to the council to fund the infrastructure required across the District to support growth such as new roads, pathways, pipes, and parks. If the service connection is part of a new building project, there may be no change to the assessment that has been made as part of the applications associated with the project.
If development contributions are required they must be paid before you begin works associated with your service connection.
Find out more about development contributions.
The construction, repair, removal or widening of any vehicle crossing must be approved by the council before being undertaken by a council-approved installer(PDF, 322KB). This is to ensure that the work complies with appropriate standards and meets our specifications.
If there are obstructions to the proposed vehicle crossing such as power poles, water connections, utility connections, or trees, let us know and we can advise you of your options.
You must use a council-approved installer(PDF, 322KB) for the installation process. The council-approved installers will be able to provide advice on the best possible location, allowable width, and identify any other possible issues. We suggest you choose an installer from the list of approved vehicle crossing installers(PDF, 322KB) and ask them to apply for the permit on your behalf.
- A Vehicle Crossing Permit application(PDF, 179KB) needs to be completed either by you or your contractor, and submitted to the council. A permit fee is required.
- We will assess your application and visit the site.
- Once approved, we will send you a letter with a consent number created for future correspondence.
- You can engage your chosen contractor. The contractor must then submit a Traffic Management Plan (TMP) and apply for a Corridor Access Request for permission to work in the road corridor before beginning work.
- The contractor will install the vehicle crossing to meet the relevant construction standards and requirements.
- Payment is made directly to the contractor for the installation of the vehicle crossing.
- Upon completion, the contractor will notify the Council and we will then inspect and monitor the crossing during its warranty period.
A fee of $90.00 must be paid at the time the application is made. See a full list of building fees and charges.
The fee covers the cost of processing the application and any site visits to inspect the crossing during construction and after the crossing has been installed.
If the vehicle crossing is part of a new building project, the fee may be captured under the Building Consent.
From 17 July 2024, all new applications for a building consent will be assessed to see if they need to pay development contributions for the additional demand on infrastructure that the development generates. These are fees to fund the infrastructure – such as new roads, pathways, pipes, and parks – that are needed to support growth. Development contributions may be payable before you begin works associated with your building consent.
Find out more about development contributions.
There are a number ways you can report damage to vehicle crossings
If damage is caused by private contractors, remedial action is to be undertaken by those contractors.