Mangaheia Bridge no.1 on Tauwhareparae Road has been reopened to all traffic.

Testing was completed this morning on the strength of the concrete repairs and engineers have agreed to reopen the bridge without any weight restrictions.

The repairs were initially expected to take up to six weeks, with significant impact on local farming and forestry industries.

After a huge collective effort by engineers and contractors, an alternative repair was agreed to which cut the closure time to 10 days.

Journeys infrastructure manager Dave Hadfield said the result was a reflection of the expertise and dedication of everyone involved.

“On behalf of Gisborne District Council, I’d like to thank the team at Dig Eastland, WSP and everyone involved in this project. It’s been great to see so many people working together for the best outcomes for Te Tairāwhiti.”

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