On The Up: Hawke’s Bay community gathers to open Moteo-Puketapu Bridge in Puketapu

A Hawke’s Bay community hammered by Cyclone Gabrielle has officially had its most important connection restored.

A big crowd was in attendance to open the new Moteo-Puketapu Bridge on Saturday, two and a half years after the old one was swept down the raging Tūtaekurī River.

The Puketapu School bus was the first to travel the bridge, and the primary school students had a 25-minute shorter journey to school on Monday.

Traffic was able to cross the $28 million bridge from 10am on Saturday.

The $28 million project was built three metres higher than the original, with piles reaching 41 metres deep, and three columns instead of five to reduce debris build-up.

Two and a half years on, the result is a new, stronger, two-lane bridge with a shared cycle and walking path.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said she was excited to see the communities reconnected and thanked everyone for their patience.

“This bridge has become a symbol – not just of what was lost in Cyclone Gabrielle, but of how far we’ve come together on the road to recovery.

The bridge was opened with a dawn ceremony and a community-led celebration.

“We thank our communities for their unwavering support and to the many people who have helped make this day possible.”

Part of the $800m transport recovery programme across the Hastings district, the new bridge was fully funded by the Government’s National Infrastructure Funding and Financing programme.

Contractors WSP and Fulton Hogan led the design and build, with many subcontractors and workers putting in long days on-site.

In the coming months, a pou tīpuna will be installed near the viewing platform above Vicarage Rd, to acknowledge the ancestry of Ngāti Hinepare, Ngāti Maahu and Ngāi Tāwhao and their deep connection to the whenua.

In the afternoon, a fun day at Puketapu Park was held to celebrate the restoration of the grounds and play equipment that were lost in the cyclone.

In total, 19 bridges and large culverts were destroyed in the cyclone, but the collapse of the previous Puketapu Bridge was one of the starkest examples of the immense destruction caused.

The site of the old Puketapu Bridge which was washed away in Cyclone Gabrielle.

Unlike other damaged crossings where temporary Bailey bridges were installed, the scale of the damage to the bridge was too great for a short-term solution.

Saturday’s celebrations also marked the reopening of the Puketapu Loop section of the Hawke’s Bay Trails Great Ride.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council chairwoman Hinewai Ormsby said she was very proud of the effort that had gone into restoring the entire trail network.

Around 70% had minor damage and were repaired within six months. The remaining 30% – totalling 58 kilometres – had major damage, including missing bridges, slips and compromised stopbanks, with repair requiring full trail closures and extensive reconstruction.

“The trails are a cornerstone of our region – they connect communities, support local businesses and showcase the very best of Hawke’s Bay,” Ormsby said.

Due to ongoing stopbank construction near Taradale, there is a short on-road detour in place until mid-2026 from Lennox Park. Trail users will be directed via Omarunui Rd and Waiohiki Rd, reconnecting with the bridge into Taradale.