Ashburton’s Second Bridge Signed Off

Monday, 7 April 2025, 7:03 pm
Article: Jonathan Leask - Local Democracy Reporter

An agreement is now in place to manage the construction of the second Ashburton bridge and connecting road as one project.

Ashburton mayor Neil Brown said the bridge is really important for the community.

“I’m excited all the necessary paperwork to get it started is now signed and sealed.”

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) and the Ashburton District Council signed the deal at the end of last week.

It means NZTA will tender the full work package as a design and build project later this year.

The Government announced in December it would completely fund the 360-metre bridge, plus embankments from Chalmers Avenue to Carters Terrace, while the council would stump up for the new connecting local road from Carters Terrace to Grahams Road.

Construction is expected to start in mid-2026, pending approvals.

Mayor Brown said the council will talk with the community about how it will fund the road construction once the costs are known.

“The most important thing for everyone to know is that this project can finally begin.”

The agreement between the council and NZTA will mean the council still has a say in approving the concept plans for the second bridge and connecting road, he said.

There will also be regular meetings during the construction period “to ask questions and ensure it is done in a timely manner”.

NZTA’s regional relationships acting director Ian Duncan said the NZTA board officially approved the project at its meeting last week, allowing the work on the ground to now get under way.

Duncan said he is pleased to see progress on this project, acknowledging the second bridge will provide significant resilience and new road connection across the Ashburton/Hakatere River, using modern design and build techniques.

Associate Transport Minister James Meager said the agreement between NZTA and the council is a major milestone in the second bridge project.

Meager, who is the Rangitata MP, said the next steps are for geotechnical investigations to begin on the site in the coming days and weeks.

“A registration of interest will go out to market this week for technical and design support.

“This will be followed by procurement for detailed design and construction later in the year.”

That tender process will determine how much the section of the new local road will cost.

The council has been buying property for the project since a land designation was confirmed in 2014, and the bridge and connecting road are shown in the District Plan.

It’s understood they are in the process of negotiating the purchase of the final property.

© Scoop Media

Local Democracy Reporting

Content from the Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) service is published by Scoop as a registered New Zealand Media Outlet LDR Partner.