A gondolier view of the Esk River Bridge, an 81-year-old State Highway 2 lifeline north of Napier on the road to Wairoa. Photo / NZTA
Hawke's Bay's highways have taken another hit with a decision to impose a 30km/h speed limit on the Napier-Wairoa road's Esk River Bridge, near the intersection with State Highway 5, north of Bay View.
National highways management agency Waka Kotahi NZTA says recent assessments have identified that, at 81 years
old, the vital link "does not have enough capacity to sustain i.ncreased traffic demands".
It wasn't designed to carry the frequency and weights of modern-day trucks and other heavy transport and the "temporary" limit will be put in place on Monday and apply until further notice, NZTA said in a late-Wednesday traffic bulletin.
"While we understand this will be an inconvenience for road users, it is critical everyone complies with the temporary 30km/h speed limit to keep vibrations to a minimum to reduce the impact on the bridge structure and prevent further deterioration," the bulletin said.
"We are working through design options for repair, and further investigations are underway to determine the extent of the strengthening work required. Similar strengthening designs have been done in the past to address comparable issues and ensure the bridge remains in service and fit for purpose."
