Tauranga motorists thanked for patience during closure of major thoroughfare

Traffic lines up on SH2 between Bayfair roundabout and Baypark in January. Photo / George Novak

Motorists, residents and businesses have been thanked for their patience over the weekend during the temporary closure of a stretch of State Highway 2 in Bayfair.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said the section had reopened this morning after it was closed on Friday night.

The closure was to allow work on constructing the second of Bay Link's three bridges.

Over the weekend, 10 reinforced concrete beams 26 metres long and weighing 47 tonnes each were positioned in the middle of SH2 by a 350-tonne crane.

"Following placement of the beams, further work is required to complete the bridge deck and barriers along the edges," NZTA said.

"After the bridge deck is poured a settlement period will begin, this allows the earth to settle once loads are applied to the ground below.

"This area will lay dormant until the majority of expected settlement has occurred, a process which is anticipated to take approximately three months."

The interchange bridge at Te Maunga was expected to be open next summer under temporary traffic management.