NZ Transport Agency – Southern Region

9 February 2011

Waitaki Bridges at Kurow open to pedestrians and cyclists

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) says the Waitaki Bridges on SH 82 near Kurow are likely to remain closed to traffic until at least the middle of next week, but open to cyclist and pedestrians from tomorrow.

Flood damage to one of the piers on the north bridge meant the bridges had to be closed yesterday. Pedestrian and cyclists can use the bridge between 6am and 10pm daily.

NZTA Area Manager Colin Hey says high river flows prevented a team of bridge experts from inspecting the base of the damaged pier and those adjacent to it this afternoon. The bed levels of the river adjacent to the bridge also need to be checked to see if changes have occurred, so that any possible effects on other parts of the structure can be assessed.

River levels are not expected to drop low enough to allow this work to be carried out until Monday. It is frustrating situation, but little more can be done until then.Once the inspection results are available options to open the bridges can be looked at in more detail. Among those likely to be considered is a Bailey bridge over the damaged pier or under pinning the damaged pier.

Colin Hey says this is shaping up as the longest closure of the bridges since 1994. Generally road users and the local community appreciate little can be done at the moment, even though they face lengthy detours to get across the Waitaki River. These include using the bridge over the Waitaki River on State Highway 1 at Glenavy or travelling on State Highway 8 through Lake Tekapo and Fairlie.

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