A motorist drives past the painted roadkill on SH3 near the crematorium.

Busy roading contractors marking a State Highway in Taranaki didn't let a dead animal hold them up - they just painted over it.

The animal, which was too squashed to determine whether it was a possum, rabbit or even a cat, was mashed in the dead-centre of SH3, near the crematorium, between New Plymouth and Egmont Village during the weekend.

Contractors painting the centre-line on the stretch of highway didn't remove the furry speed hump as they went about the job and instead they gave it a fresh coat of yellow paint.

SIMON O'CONNOR/STUFF An animal killed on SH3 south of New Plymouth received a fresh coat of yellow paint from road markers.

The picture of the painted roadkill caused a stir on social media, some thought it it was hilarious, others claimed it could only happen in the "Naki" while a few criticised the contractors for being lazy.

New Zealand Transport Agency regional transport system manager Ross I'Anson said the procedure for road marking contractors was to sweep the area clear of roadkill.

"But due to the size of the marking machines and the range of visibility of the outer edge of the roadside, this can't always occur," I'Anson said.

He did not identify the company involved.