Thursday 2 June

Footbridge closed for repairs

Council are advising people not to use the footbridge at Taruheru Cemetery for safety reasons.

An inspection by contractors on Monday 30 May found issues with the deck of the bridge, the handrails and general condition.

Tairawhiti Roads Journey Manager Helen Harris says our main focus at this stage is securing the bridge to prevent any injuries to anyone using it.

The bridge will be closed to the public, signage and barriers will be put up and decking will be removed to prevent access to the bridge.

“Our next step is to investigate options to address the issues,” says Ms Harris.
“We’re asking people to please stay off the bridge until we can make it safe.”
“We’ll know a timeframe for reopening the bridge when a full assessment of repairs or replacement has been completed.”

The bridge spans the Taruheru River between the Taruheru and Makaraka Cemeteries. The bridge, made of steel trusses, is 20m long with 7m spans on each end.

ENDS

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