Kuaotunu River Bridge will remain open on Monday but expect delays as work is finished

The Kuaotunu River Bridge remains fully open to vehicles this weekend, but on Monday after the peak morning traffic period, there may be periodic full closures to allow for the bridge resurfacing to be properly completed.

Most of the day on Monday traffic over the bridge will be open to one lane, under stop-go management, but there may be periods of up to 30 minutes while both lanes are closed to allow work to proceed as efficiently as possible.

The work is expected to be completed by late afternoon on Monday, after which the bridge will be fully open to traffic in both directions again.

Any full closures of the road are dependent on the progress of work and we don’t know when they might occur.

Our Council appreciates drivers’ patience and understanding while this necessary work takes place.

Monday’s work is the final bit needed to repair damage from September’s storm and flooding. The bridge is on State Highway 25 and NZ Transport Agency’s contractor, Higgins, has carried out the work and reopened the bridge ahead of schedule and under trying conditions, including a second major storm earlier this week.

“A huge congratulations to the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), Higgins and all the contractors involved. They've gone above and beyond and worked hard throughout the storm this week - and the past four weeks to get the bridge open sooner than planned. It was an extraordinary effort,” says our Mayor Sandra Goudie.

“We know the closure has been an inconvenience to many, but I want to thank all the communities between Coromandel Town through to Whitianga for their patience,” says Mayor Sandra. “It’s fantastic to see how communities pulled together to help each other out during this time – and also a big ups to the Kuaotunu Katchup Facebook team for helping coordinate shared transport options, along with Go Kiwi who put on extra shuttle bus services.”

Mayor Sandra is hosting an event at the Kuaotunu Hall on Tuesday 22 October, between 4-6pm, to say thanks to the NZTA, its contractors and all the local residents affected by the closure of the SH25 bridge at Kuaotunu, following the 9 September 2019 weather event.

All are welcome. There will be light refreshments served by Kuaotunu Kindergarten.

Victoria Street, Thames remains closed overnight until further notice due to a large slip (approx. 2.5km).

Stay Informed

In weather events, it's always important to stay informed. The more avenues of communication available to you, the better.

Here are some we recommend:

Check MetService for the latest weather forecasts.

We publish updates on known local Council road closures. If you see a Council road that is impassable due to flooding or debris, call us on 07 868 0200. If the issue is with a State Highway (eg, the Thames Coast Road, Kopu-Hikuai Road) please tell NZ Transport Agency on 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49) to speak to the call centre team who can also provide traffic and travel information.

Check NZTA's website before you travel for the latest information about road closures or work underway. You can also use their journey-planning website www.onthemove.govt.nz to plan the best route for your journey, taking into account known issues and traffic on state highways.

Red Cross Hazards App - alerts about hazards. Download from the App Store or Google Play.

Local radio - Check stations and frequencies here.

Emergency Mobile Alert - these can be sent to your mobile phone, without needing to download an app or sign up. Check if your phone is capable of receiving them, here

Know your neighbours - phone each other, especially vulnerable people, to check if they're OK.

Waikato Regional Council often activates an online hub for rainfall and flood-related information to help people more easily keep up to date with severe weather events in the region. It can be found here.

We post regular updates on our Council's Facebook page as well as on our website and email newsletters.

Also follow Waikato Civil Defence on Facebook here and check out their website for updates here.

To report a power outage contact your provider, however to get further information on power outages see Powerco's webiste.

For more on these channels, and other information about staying informed in emergencies, go to the Civil Defence "Never Happens" website.

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