Hangaroa Bluffs dropout repairs are to start next month - part of a $52.5 million recovery programme.
Hangaroa Bluffs dropout repairs are to start next month - part of a $52.5 million recovery programme.
Repair work on the Hangaroa Bluffs along Tiniroto Rd will begin next month, starting two years of construction.
The project includes rebuilding St Leger Bridge and a new Tiniroto bypass, with completion in 2027.
The repairs are part of a $52.5 million programme, funded by the Government’s $230 million recovery package for Tairāwhiti roads.
The repair of a major dropout in the Hangaroa Bluffs next month will start two years of construction in the area, including the rebuild of St Leger Bridge and a new Tiniroto bypass.
Gisborne District Council director community lifelines Tim Barry, in a statement, said he was gladwork was starting “with funding only approved in October last year”.
The dropout will take up to five months to repair and is the first of 92 complex dropouts in council’s $52.5m slips and dropouts programme.
The construction tender for St Leger Bridge on Ruakākā Rd is open to market until later this month and a contractor for the rebuild will be appointed in July.
“Designs are now under way for the new bridge alignment and the relocating of overhead cables and tree removal happening in the next few weeks,” Barry said.
“We’re aiming to start the St Leger Bridge rebuild in spring and the bypass closer to year end. Both projects will be finished in 2027.”
The St Leger Bridge rebuild is expected to begin in spring. This is a computer-generated image of how it will look.
Tiniroto Rd is an alternative route to SH2 to Wairoa and of strategic importance to the region, as well as local residents and industry.
The unstable rock faces of the Hangaroa Bluffs are known for frequently dropping rock on to the road.
The bypass includes two new bridges - one crossing the Hangaroa River into farmland and another back over on to Tiniroto Rd after the second bluff.
“We’re extremely grateful for Government support to create a more resilient and reliable route for local residents and road users,” Barry said.
The repairs are part of the Government’s $230m recovery package for Tairāwhiti local roads, which includes the Tiniroto bypass, bridges, slips and dropouts, and roadside drainage supporting iwi communities.
More information on Gisborne District Council’s recovery programme can be found on the council’s website.
