Key sites across Wairoa’s roading network have been prioritised and designs are being progressed to ensure contractors can hit the ground running to repair the district’s roads as soon as the summer construction period begins.

Wairoa District Council Chief Executive Kitea Tipuna said over the winter period while physical road works have been limited, Council has been planning and prioritising its response and has been working on design plans.

“We have not yet had any confirmation regarding Council’s funding application with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, but we are hopeful we will receive good news soon so we can get underway in the summer construction period.”

Mr Tipuna said, depending on funding, work on the repair of the Te Reinga Bridge could start in the early half of next year. “Council has received a draft Te Reinga Bridge options report, and while Council still needs to go through a confirmation process, at this stage it is looking favourable that the bridge can be repaired and does not need replacing.”

Mr Tipuna said the repair work, again at this stage, is likely to involve adding a new pile to the current bridge, plus other more minor work on the bridge structure.

Work will be scheduled once Council receives official confirmation of the bridge design and has secured funding.

“It has been a long-wet winter that started early with the weather events at the end of March which caused hundreds of slips and nearly 100 dropouts.

“Securing funding is key to restoring our local roading network and we will continue to work with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency to progress this. Once we know how much funding we will be receiving and what areas it is tagged to, we will be able to release our plan to move forward.”

19 August 2022

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