A new $25 million road bridge across the West Coast’s Taramakau River is set to open this Sunday.
The project, between Kumara Junction and Greymouth, is set to replace the old 132-year-old Taramakau road-rail bridge.
The old bridge will be closed to road traffic but will stay in use for trains.
It took contractor Fulton Hogan around 18 months to complete the project — ahead of the original two year estimate.
NZ Transport Agency regional relationships director Jim Harland says the bridge will provide a “safer and more efficient transport link for West Coast locals and for tourists”.
“The new bridge means local business operators, freight vehicles and residents will no longer have to wait at each end on their daily commutes.”
Around 3500 vehicles use the Taramakau Bridge each day.
Trucks part of protests
Truck fleets will be assembling at the Taramakau bridge opening to rally against government policies affecting local industries.
This includes any potential mining bans in the region.
Organisation Go West Coast says a procession of vehicles owned by firms reliant on primary industries will leave Greymouth at 11am, cross the old rail-road bridge and return to Greymouth by 12pm.
The protest will be calling for support of primary industries and “battle for continued access to stewardship land”, the group says.
