Motorists urged to keep calm as Ōtaki River Bridge shared path clip-on project continues

The first shared path steel bracket being attached to the Ōtaki River Bridge.

Construction on the Ōtaki River Bridge shared path clip-on is well under way.

An NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi project update says 14 steel support brackets are being attached to the bridge.

“These steel supports will eventually hold the shared path bridge, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to cross the bridge well clear of other road users.

“The steel supports are craned into position, bolted to the bridge piers, and extend 4m from the side of the bridge.”

The update thanked motorists for their patience while stop/go traffic management was in place at the bridge, but noted incidents of road users running red lights.

“This meant traffic at the opposite end of the bridge had to wait for oncoming traffic to clear the bridge while they had a green light.

“Please be considerate of others and follow the traffic management rules.”

The agency had made changes to the waiting times at the bridge.

“Previously, outside of regular hours of construction, the traffic management was set to a 90-second timer.

“We’ve now reduced the waiting time to 45 seconds.

“During regular daytime construction hours, we’ll continue to prioritise the dominant flow of traffic.

“This means priority is given to southbound traffic in the morning and to northbound traffic in the evenings, with traffic travelling against that dominant flow allowed through when appropriate.”

Construction of foundations would continue until early December with 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week stop/go traffic management in places.

Installation of the shared path would take place from early December until the Christmas shutdown with stop/go in place during daytime work hours, with both lanes open to traffic (with traffic lights off) outside those hours.

The Christmas closedown period would have normal traffic flow with both lanes open.

Installation would continue between January and February with stop/go in place to enable lifting operations, with both lanes open to traffic (with traffic lights off) outside those work activities.

Finishing works on the wider shared path project through Ōtaki would continue from February to April-May, but there would be no lane closure over the bridge and normal traffic flows would resume.

The update says the Ōtaki shared pathway was “part of and funded through the Peka Peka to Ōtaki (PP2Ō) Expressway project and will create safer, more enjoyable journeys — not just for cyclists and pedestrians — but for motorists too”.