Hikuai Bridge – NZTA Replacing Deck Not Bridge & Night Closures for Up To 4 Weeks
Written by John Grant on September 22, 2022
The Hikuai River Bridge on State Highway 25 between Tairua and the Pauanui turnoff will be closed to all traffic for multiple nights in October and November while the bridge deck is replaced. Many would have hoped for a new bridge but only a deck replacement for safety reasons is currently planned.
Closures start from Tuesday 25 October to all traffic from 8pm to 6am on Sunday to Thursday nights, for an expected period of up to four weeks. NZTA say the bridge closure is necessary while they carry out essential and significant maintenance work. This will close the eastern seaboard state highway 25 during the busy pre Christmas build up period. Many people will be impacted by this and some will have long alternative travel to Northern towns such as Whitianga, Hahei and Hot Water Beach.
During this time the bridge will be open to traffic during the day with temporary traffic management and a speed restriction of 10km/h in place.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Waikato System Manager, Cara Lauder, acknowledges that this road closure will be disruptive, but says the work is vital to keeping the bridge open and safe for all traffic to use.
“We hope that by carrying out this work in the evenings we will be able to minimise disruption to residents and road users as much as possible.”
There is no local detour around the Hikuai River Bridge, with the only available alternative route using State Highway 25 and State Highway 25A around the Coromandel Peninsula, therefore Ms Lauder advises motorists to travel during the day to avoid being detoured during the overnight closures, where possible.
Ms Lauder says the bridge remains safe and structurally sound and has regular inspections and maintenance (like this deck replacement) when required.
“This bridge is often believed to be a Bailey Bridge (a temporary portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge), however it is a Standard Steel Truss (SST) bridge originally designed and constructed by the Ministry of Works. The existing timber deck of this bridge has reached end of life, requiring replacement to keep the bridge in a safe and sound condition for road users.”
Jason will talk to Rob Campbell from NZTA regarding the bridge repair tomorrow (Friday) morning in the Goldfields Big Breakfast.
