A temporary bridge is expected to be in place on State Highway 39 by mid-March, reconnecting the community south of Pirongia after the Mangati Bridge was destroyed in heavy floods.
The Mangati Bridge was damaged during flooding on February 13, cutting access for residents and freight movements in the area.
“Since the floods on 13 February, NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), its contractors and consultants have moved at pace to restore access for south of Pirongia,” Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.
A 40-metre steel-framed temporary bridge will be installed slightly upstream of the existing two-lane structure. It will have a 50-tonne weight limit, with traffic controlled by temporary traffic lights.
“Crews have already cleared tonnes of debris from the site, allowing specialist teams to begin work on both the temporary bridge and the permanent replacement. Council partners and landowners have recognised the urgency of this work and supported it every step of the way,” Bishop says.
The temporary structure will be an Acrow (Bailey-style) bridge.
“We expect the Acrow (Bailey-style) temporary bridge to be operational by mid-March, subject to fine weather. The approaches are currently under construction, and assembly of the bridge on site is expected to take around four days.”
Work is also under way on the accelerated design and procurement process for a permanent two-lane replacement bridge, with construction expected to begin later this year.
“Restoring access safely and as quickly as possible is the priority, and I want to thank everyone involved for the extraordinary effort to reconnect this community,” Bishop says.
