Vehicle crossings

The vehicle crossing must be designed and constructed to meet Tauranga City Council requirements:

• The crossing must comply with Tauranga City Council’s Infrastructure Development Code (IDC) – drawings T430, T431, and T432. 
• Any replacement footpath must be 1.8m wide (as per IDC drawing T431), rather than matching the width of the existing footpath. This helps reduce future renewal costs for Council if footpaths along the street are upgraded. 
• If a double garage is proposed, the driveway width at the property boundary may be widened to a maximum of 5.5m. 

The crossing must be positioned to maintain safely and provide adequate clearance from other street features:

• At least 1m from streetlights, power poles and road signs. 
• At least 2m from juvenile street trees. For mature trees, approval from a Council arborist is required. 
• At least 1m from stormwater sumps. 
• At least 0.5m from water metres. Water meters must not be located within the crossing. 
• At least 1m from an unmarked kerb ramp. 
• At least 3m form a marked pedestrian crossing. 

The vehicle crossing must be constructed to meet the following requirements:

• Concrete must have a minimum strength of 20MPa. 
• Concrete thickness must be:
  - 120mm for residential vehicle crossings
  - 150mm for commercial or industrial vehicle crossings
• Reinforcing mesh (665 mesh) must be included. 
• The vehicle crossing must include a kerb let-down, backing slab, and smooth transitions to the road and footpath. 
• The footpath must be at least 1.8m wide and constructed with a crossfall of 2%. 

You can design your own vehicle crossing or work with a consultant or contractor to ensure it meets these requirements. 

You’ll need to apply for a Service Connection Application if any of the following apply:

• You’re installing a new vehicle crossing that does not meet Council’s standard designs (Refer to IDC Drawings T430, T431 and T432).
• You’re making changes to an existing vehicle crossing. This includes widening, relocating, upgrading or redesigning the crossing, as well as making changes to the slope, layout, kerb or channel. 
• You want to install a second vehicle crossing. Second vehicle crossings are not supported for standard residential properties unless under exceptional circumstances. They may be considered where a property is being subdivided and each new lot needs its own legal access. Alternatively, an existing vehicle crossing may be relocated if it meets Council’s safety and design standards. 
• Angled vehicle crossings – where an angled vehicle crossing is proposed, additional assessment is required and may need an SCA approval. This assessment ensures the proposed crossing can operate safely and efficiently without adversely affecting the road corridor, pedestrians, cyclists, or other road users. 
• You want to maintain or replace a vehicle crossing. Over time, vehicle crossings can become damaged through normal wear and tear and may need to be replaced. We would need to see a plan to advise if a SCA is required. 

All proposed footpath connections associated with a development require prior approval from Council. 

Where a SCA is required, the footpath connection must be included within the SCA application. Where an SCA is not required, written approval must be obtained from Council before any works commence. 

Any footpath connection constructed without the required approval will be deemed unauthorised and may be subject to enforcement action or require modification/removal at the owner’s expense. 

1. Prepare your application
A site plan must be included with your Vehicle Crossing Service Connection application. The site plan needs to show:

• The location of the vehicle crossing, including at least one dimension to an adjacent property boundary. 
• The width of the vehicle crossing at the kerb, with the width at the footpath, as well as the width of the backing slab. 
• The grades along the vehicle crossing, including the road camber. This confirms the design complies with AS/NZS 2890.1:2004, so vehicles can enter and exit without scraping or bottoming out. 
• Any adjacent Council assets shown in the vehicle crossing compliance requirements above. 

Ensure you are following IDC T430 by including distances from Council assets to the edge of the proposed vehicle crossing, and ensure the water meter is not located within the vehicle crossing. 

All public utilities must be protected with suitable cover. If the berm level is lowered, approval from all relevant utility companies is required. 

2. Apply using the service connection form. Make sure you’ve included all the information listed in the application checklist to avoid delays. 

3. We will review your application and provide formal approval. 

4. Request corridor access. 
Corridor access is required before any work starts. Once you have received your service connection application approval, we’ll send you the information need you to request corridor access. You will then need to provide a traffic management plan.

5. Work can start.

6. Book your pre-pour inspection.
Two inspections are required by a Council Development Monitoring Advisor. To arrange both the pre-pour and final inspections, phone Council on 07 577 7000 and request for an inspection CCM be created. 

Before any concrete is poured, the vehicle crossing is to be checked to confirm it has been set out correctly as per the approved plans, including its location, width, depth, and distances from other services and property boundaries.

7. Book your final inspection
Once all work is finished, we’ll carry out a final inspection. This is to make sure everything has been completed to Council standards and that all Council assets are in place, such as the water meter, footpath repairs and the berm.