A new bridge is nearing completion in the Waihopai Valley, Marlborough.

The previous structure was washed away in the July 2021 storm and locals have made do with a temporary Bailey bridge servicing the upper valley since September that year.

Councillor Scott Adams, who chairs Marlborough’s Regional Transport Committee, visited the construction site last week and said he was impressed.

“The new single-lane bridge is 110 metres long with seven spans. It towers nine metres above the river on piles that were sunk 10 metres into the river bed. It’s a very impressive sight and a big improvement on the old bridge infrastructure.”

The new bridge’s location was confirmed in 2022, and land purchase and geotechnical investigations concluded in mid-2023. It was designed and built by Top of the South firm Egypt Ltd.

Marlborough Roads Manager Steve Murrin said the bridge should be finished early in the new year, if the good weather continued.

“The construction has gone smoothly so far, starting in June this year. The reinforced concrete bridge beams - each weighing 24 tonnes - were precast in Nelson and then delivered on a low-loader and placed by crane from the river bed.”

“We’re also building 500 metres of new road downstream of the bridge, which is located higher up on the terrace to protect it from possible flooding in future. Gravel from the river was crushed on site for roading aggregate by a local subcontractor.”

He said the new bridge would be suitable for logging trucks, with all drivers required to use the priority/give way system on its single lane.

The cost of the project was $4 million, which was 95 per cent funded via NZTA’s Financial Assistance Rate following the 2021 storm.

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