Whangamatā bridge strengthening work – closures coming up

Moana Anu Anu Bridge in Whangamatā. Photo / Waka Kotahi NZTA

The Moana Anu Anu Bridge (also known as the Wentworth River Bridge) on the outskirts of Whangamatā will be closed to all traffic during one-day closures in May and June.

The bridge, which is located near the intersection of Tairua and Port Roads, will be closed to all traffic from 7am to 5pm on Wednesday, May 17 and Friday, June 9 for essential maintenance work.

This follows a recent inspection which determined that the southern timber piles of the bridge are deteriorating and strengthening measures are now required. Work will involve installing two new steel piles, one at each side of the bridge, and a new steel beam supporting the ends of the main bridge beams.

Motorists travelling between Waihī and Tairua on State Highway 25 (SH25) will be detoured through Whangamatā during this time. The bridge will also be closed to cyclists and pedestrians throughout this work.

Moana Anu Anu Bridge will be closed for strengthening work.

Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency appreciates that any road closure is disruptive, but this is essential work to keep the bridge open to traffic and avoid the more significant disruption that will occur if this work is not undertaken. Efforts will be made to minimise disruption to the community and road users while this work is safely carried out.

While every effort will be made to keep the closure within the advised timeframe, unforeseen issues such as bad weather could affect these dates.

In the meantime, the bridge remains safe and structurally sound. It is regularly inspected and receives maintenance as required.

For up-to-date information on road works, traffic, detours and delays, drivers are encouraged to visit the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner website.

Waka Kotahi thanks motorists and residents for their ongoing patience while it completes this important work.

Supplied copy.