Te Reinga Bridge will be temporarily closed this morning following high rainfall which increased river levels and has triggered an engineering inspection.

Te Reinga Bridge will be closed to light vehicle and pedestrian traffic from 11am-midday today and is expected to be closed for 24-48 hours to enable the river levels to subside so engineers can investigate the stability of the bridge.

Wairoa District Council staff and contractors are constantly monitoring risk factors, including rainfall and river levels, which could affect the structural integrity of Te Reinga Bridge. 

The Ruakituri Valley received in excess of 40mm of rainfall over the past 24 hours, creating river flow heights nearing flood flows.

An Action Response Plan with trigger points was developed as part of the re-opening of the bridge, with one of the trigger points being 40mm plus of rain in a 24-hour period, and high river levels.

This is the first time we have reached a trigger point since the temporary design was installed. Because it is believed high river levels were the cause of the original damage, we need to be extra cautious to enable us to examine how the bridge will react to the increased river levels.

Council and contracting staff will work as quickly as possible and are hoping for an outcome which will see the bridge reopened to light vehicles and pedestrians as soon as possible.

Public safety is paramount, and we urge the community to please respect the need for this closure and to stay off and away from the bridge to allow the engineers to complete their work.

1 June 2022

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