Bridge strengthening work on the Tiniroto Road will improve the route as an alternative access into and out of Wairoa.

The Tiniroto Road will be closed for three days in May while contractors strengthen the Waitahora Bridge, 2km north of Frasertown.

The work will involve strengthening and widening the bridge which will increase its capacity for heavier vehicles.

The strengthening work means the bridge will be dismantled to make way for new beams and a new deck.

The project will take 10 weeks to complete and include stream scour protection and reinstatement work.

The bridge will remain a single-lane structure but will be widened to 4.5m to allow more space for wider loads.

Physical work has already started on the Deep Creek Bridge, 23km from Frasertown on Tiniroto Road, where the capacity will increase to cater for heavy productivity motor vehicles.

The work involves welding on new steel plates to the steel beams and will take eight weeks to complete.

The Wairoa District Council is pleased to have awarded the contract for this work to local contractors Quality Roading and Services (Wairoa) Limited.

Engineering manager Jamie Cox says the Tiniroto Road is a strategic route for the Wairoa community and is often used by heavy vehicle traffic as an alternative to State Highway 2.

"Tiniroto Road has been used as an alternative route to Gisborne a number of times over the years when the state highway has been unavailable due to flooding and accidents."

People expecting to use the Tiniroto Road over the three day shut down will need to plan an alternative route or make travel plans in advance.

Mr Cox said at this stage they are giving people a heads up that there will be a road closure with the actual dates to be advised closer to the time.

31 October 2018

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