The destroyed Brookfields Bridge between Napier and Hastings will be rebuilt, which has been described as an “awesome” result for the communities that rely on it.
A question mark has hung over the future of the one-lane bridge since it was destroyed in Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.
Hastings District Council and Napier City Council today jointly announced a commitment to rebuild the bridge.
That project is expected to cost upwards of $35 million and – subject to it meeting relevant funding requirements – NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) will fund a large portion of the work, with the remainder being funded by the two councils.
It is hoped the new bridge will be opened in mid-2029.
A decision on whether it will be a one-lane or two-lane bridge has yet to be made.
Meanwhile, Hastings and Napier councils have also announced the temporary Redclyffe Bridge (joining Waiohiki and Taradale) will be replaced with a permanent bridge, and that project will be completed around mid-2029.
That permanent bridge is expected to cost between $60-$80m, a large portion of which is expected to be funded by NZTA, with the remainder coming from the two councils.
“These rebuilds are about connecting communities and supporting our economy, which needs resilient, safe and efficient links for transporting goods and produce to the port,” Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said.
The one-lane Brookfields Bridge had long serviced the communities of Pakowhai and Meeanee and crossed the Tūtaekurī River before it was destroyed.
It also took pressure of the two main routes between Napier and Hastings, SH51 and SH2.
It was built in the 1930s and was 280 metres long.
Meeanee Speedway president Regan O’Brien said it was “awesome” to hear the rebuild was going ahead.
“We are stoked. The sooner the better.”
On a big race meeting, almost 6000 people can attend the speedway, and there had effectively been just one way out since the bridge had gone.
He said the new bridge “will help us out big time” with traffic and access.
Yummy Fruit Co representative John Paynter being without the Brookfields Bridge had hit hard.
“We have 60 hectares of trees on either side of the river – we did not realise how important this old bridge was until we couldn’t use it.
“Travelling between our Meeanee and Pakowhai orchards is now a daily undertaking, so the new bridge will be very welcome.”
A feasibility study for the bridge is under way and will form a business case, expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
Options under consideration for the rebuild include a like-for-like single-lane replacement, a two-lane replacement and an upgraded two-lane design incorporating a shared path for cyclists and pedestrians.
A final decision on the scope of the rebuild is expected in the first half of next year, followed by detailed design work. Construction is estimated to take about two years, starting mid-2027, aiming to be finished by the end of June 2029.
The cost is estimated to be between $35-$55m, depending on the option chosen.
Demolition of what remains of the old bridge will begin when funding becomes available, expected to be in late October 2025.
Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said “we need to do everything we can to ensure we are being supported financially by central government” to get the two bridges built.