The NZ Transport Agency advises motorists that the rail overbridge on SH30, 27km south of Te Kuiti, will be closed to all traffic for up to a week from 9am Monday 24 June.

Acting regional director Ross I‘Anson says the bridge is at the end of its life, and this work is to provide the essential strengthening it needs to remain open until a replacement bridge is constructed.

“The bridge has been closed since November 2018 to vehicles exceeding 80% class 1 and a 10km speed limit has been in place since 2018. We expect construction to begin in 2020 and these restrictions will remain until the replacement bridge is built,” says I‘Anson.

A sign-posted detour will be in place via Kopaki Road, SH4 and SH3, adding approximately 12 km to the route between Te Kuiti and the SH30/Kopaki Road Intersection.

Beca and contractors Conspec are carrying out the repairs on behalf of the NZTA. The work involves fixing steel plates to the deck of the bridge to spread the load and reduce the impact on individual timber deck planks.

Bridge closure dates may be pushed back due to wet weather.