26 August 2013

Work to start on Waiarohia bridge

Construction of the Waiarohia walk/cycle bridge is due to start on 2 September.

WDC Roading Manager Jeff Devine said the 2.5 metre bridge will form an essential part of the looped walkway connecting the Town Basin, Port Road, Riverside Drive and the Hihiaua Peninsula.

“The 4.2km pathway will go across this new Waiarohia bridge along Port Road to Te Matau a Pohe and then back across Pohe Island along Riverside Drive and onto the Town Basin,” he said.

“Just like the Hatea River the Waiarohia Stream is regularly used by boats so the bridge will have a central rotating section that will allow vessels to travel up and down the stream.

“We will start by constructing a temporary bridge across the western half of the stream out from Port Road.”

“Once the permanent bridge has been built on the western side, the temporary bridge will be removed and re-erected on the eastern side,” he said.

“We will be installing temporary navigational buoys with flashing lights up and down stream of the temporary structure to provide warning to boat users. Skippers travelling through the work site are urged to take care whilst the bridge is being built.

“This is an exciting step in the development of the looped walkway and we are very pleased to be starting work on it now,” said Mr Devine.

The Waiarohia bridge is due for completion at the end of May 2014.

ENDS

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