Motu Bridge work to start by year's end

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

WORK to build a new $5 million bridge at Motu is expected to start by the end of the year.

Following investigations into the viability of the existing bridge, Prime Minister John Key confirmed in March that the Government would fund a new two-lane bridge to replace the existing one-lane, 1930-built structure, and an NZTA spokesman yesterday confirmed that work would start on schedule.

“The Transport Agency intends to have our construction team named in late August and ready to cut ground for the summer construction season, as scheduled.

“Construction costs are $5m, plus contingencies, although our final costs are subject to the open market competitive tendering process.”

Construction contract documents and drawings were in the process of progressing through an internal review prior to release for tender.

“We expect to go to tender in early July, following final resource consent response from Gisborne District Council.”

The new bridge would replace the last remaining one-lane bridge on State Highway 2, and would be funded through the Government’s Accelerated Regional Roading programme.

The Government had originally said it would set aside $3m to $5m to replace the existing bridge, which is located on SH2 about 70km north-west of Gisborne and 7.5km west of Matawaii