CivilTEC NZ Limited

21/05/2026

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬....

Designing roundabouts in built-up urban environments has to be one of the more challenging types of roading design.

The team at CivilTEC NZ Limited have either designed or managed the design of more than 30 roundabouts, and each one has had its own constraints and quirks. No two sites are ever the same.

A lot of people probably just see a circular intersection, but behind the scenes there’s a constant balancing act going on.

One of the biggest challenges is achieving enough vehicle entry deflection to slow vehicles safely as they enter the circulating carriageway - while still allowing oversized vehicles like buses and delivery trucks to get through without mounting kerbs or islands.

At the same time, you’re also balancing:

- splitter islands big enough to safely protect pedestrians, mobility scooters or pushchairs crossing the road,
- carriageway and footpath crossfalls that aren’t too steep, for comfort and accessibility,
- drainage grades to capture stormwater effectively,
- vehicle crossover angles into properties,
- signage placement without cluttering footpaths or creating hazards,
- adequate sight lines, so drivers approaching the roundabout can safely see circulating traffic, and have time to stop.

The interesting part is that all of these elements affect each other:

- move one kerb line or adjust one level and it can create several new issues elsewhere.
- widen the lane to allow a large truck to track through and you lose the deflection to slow the speeds down.

That’s probably what we enjoy most about this type of work - trying to find the balance between safety, function, constructability and practicality within a very constrained space.

Below are some photos of a recently constructed roundabout that the team here at CivilTEC NZ Limited worked closely on with Kāpiti Coast District Council, from concept through to detailed design and construction support. Once landscaping planting is complete, this should soften the perimeter hardscaping.

If you're keen to discuss anything related to roundabouts or roading design in general, drop us a message, we'd be happy to chat.

15/05/2026

𝐈 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚 𝟒-𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐉𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐁𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥… 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐭 𝐌𝐞!
(by Richard Gruiters, Managing Director, CivilTEC NZ Limited)

A few weeks back I joined my sister on a 4-day juice fast. Four days of twice daily large organic juices, plenty of water in between, a daily sauna, walking, resting and conversation.⁣

I went in thinking the hunger would get me, but quickly realised the mental side was where the battle was.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝟒 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞 - 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

𝐀 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 (𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐧) 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭:

🤔 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: It’s mostly a mental game. Once I committed, it became easier to carry on, especially doing it alongside someone else.
💡 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞: When a team commits to a direction together, it’s a lot easier to keep moving forward without second-guessing.

🤔 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: However, that internal voice will still test you - “just one biscuit will be ok” It’s always there, and you can start to justify why it would be ok.
💡 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞: You’ll question the plan at times, and you’ll make excuses as to why you have or haven’t done something. Back your decisions, and just keep taking action.

🤔 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Slowing down and resting isn’t a bad thing — it was needed to support the fasting process. But the guilt of not being “productive” or “busy” was there.
💡 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞: Trying to do too much at once can work against you - sometimes slowing down allows you to make faster progress later.

Reflecting on the experience, I’m grateful for the experience, and physically I feel better for it.

So, if you’re looking to challenge yourself and learn a bit more about how you think and operate, it might be worth trying something that pushes you outside your usual routine.

05/05/2026

A short 'thought piece' from our Director Richard Gruiters

03/05/2026

03/05/2026

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 ‘𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤-𝐎𝐧’ 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Councils are increasingly converting priority-controlled intersections into roundabouts — often by installing a “stick-on” central island and assuming the existing layout will work.⁣⁣
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On paper, it makes sense.⁣⁣

Slower speeds. Fewer conflict points. Safer outcomes.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
But there’s a detail that often gets missed.⁣⁣
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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 ⁣⁣

Roundabouts are typically designed with circulating crossfalls around 3% to maintain vehicle stability.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Most existing intersections aren’t.⁣⁣
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They’re shaped to drain away from the centre — often with steeper crossfalls at the apex of each corner.⁣⁣
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That might work for a priority intersection.⁣⁣
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Vehicles track through or turn away from the crossfall.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
But convert it to a roundabout…⁣⁣
• Those crossfalls become adverse⁣⁣
• Vehicles now turn across them⁣⁣
• Stability becomes a real issue⁣⁣
⁣⁣
𝐄𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞-𝐨𝐟-𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐬.⁣⁣

⁣⁣________________________________________⁣⁣
⁣⁣𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝⁣⁣
⁣⁣
On a recent roundabout project, Council wanted to convert a 4-leg intersection to a roundabout controlled intersection through the low-cost stick-on approach. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Our assessment confirmed:⁣⁣
⁣⁣
• Existing crossfalls were well outside acceptable limits with some crossfalls at around 8%⁣⁣
• The layout would create adverse conditions for heavy vehicles⁣⁣
⁣⁣
𝐈𝐟 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
________________________________________⁣⁣
⁣⁣𝐀 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐢𝐱 ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Instead of full reconstruction of the intersection, we:⁣⁣
⁣⁣
• Assessed crossfalls⁣⁣
• Tested vehicle movements⁣⁣
• Made targeted geometry adjustments and pavement reshaping⁣⁣
⁣⁣
✔️ Compliant⁣⁣
✔️ Safer for all users⁣⁣
✔️ Delivered through low-cost interventions⁣⁣
⁣⁣
On a highly constrained site.⁣⁣
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⁣⁣𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Roundabouts work - when they're designed properly⁣⁣
⁣⁣
But conversion isn't just a 2d plan view layout⁣⁣
⁣⁣
𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐯𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬⁣⁣
⁣⁣ ⁣⁣
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𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞? 𝐈'𝐦 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭. ⁣⁣

11/03/2026

From One House to Multiple Homes - Medium Density in Action in Hastings

Work is underway on a site in Hastings, with the removal of an existing residential building to make way for medium density housing.

CivilTEC NZ Ltd was engaged to deliver the civil infrastructure design (stormwater, wastewater, drinking water, earthworks, access & parking), working closely with the client's architect to maximise the site.

Engineering Approval was successfully obtained, with earthworks about to start.

Watch out for progress updates.

07/08/2025

What an amazing night supporting a fantastic cause!

We’re proud to have played a part as one of the event sponsors – a privilege to back such a meaningful initiative.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16zZeono2f/

28/07/2025

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/richard-gruiters-49a28641_project-spotlight-raised-safety-platform-activity-7355426282643337218-NRe9?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAjC2zYB7GeKydEO3AOLlKSdUo07Vtvw6sc

Project spotlight: Raised Safety Platform. This raised safety platform, located at the start of a one-way street, is sympathetic to the Art Deco feel of Napier while also providing an important safety function of slowing turning vehicles, ensuring increased safety for people walking towards Napier's...

29/05/2025

We’re proud to announce that CivilTEC NZ Limited is now an official member of ACE New Zealand !

Joining ACE (Association of Consulting and Engineering New Zealand) is a milestone for us, reflecting our commitment to professionalism, integrity, and excellence in the consulting engineering industry.

As a member, we’re looking forward to connecting with like-minded professionals, staying at the forefront of industry best practice, and continuing to grow with the support and resources ACE provides.

Big thanks to ACE New Zealand for welcoming us aboard – we’re excited to be part of the whānau!