Bridging the gaps part of $800 million Cyclone Gabrielle bill

Demolition is under way on parts of the Redclyffe Bridge, otherwise known as Waiohiki Bridge. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hastings District Council is still hoping access across the Redclyffe Bridge over the Tūtaekurī River between Taradale and Waiohiki could be re-opened by the end of next month, despite the two gaping holes that became apparent due to damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.

But, with the bridge’s closure since the cyclone over February 13-14, a major factor in ongoing traffic congestion on the remaining Napier-Hastings routes, also impacted by the destruction of the centre span of the one-way Brookfield Bridge, the council has not yet said how the gap will be bridged.

The damage to the bridges was among the huge toll the cyclone took in the Hastings District Council area which was estimated to cost about $800 million to remedy or repair, including 16 destroyed bridges, 28 significantly damaged bridges and more than 100 kilometres of road needing to be rebuilt, plus attention to 13,000 culverts requiring either unblocking, repairing, replacing or upgrading and more than 1000 slips needing remediation.

The details are contained in council reports, amid suggestions it could be years before the capacity of the Napier-Hastings routes are restored to what they were before the cyclone.

With the main roads operational (Hawke’s Bay Expressway and State Highway 51 through Clive), Hastings District Council has prioritised restoring access where people have been unable to get in and out of properties by road.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst recently said the council is acutely aware of how important it is for communities to have access restored, and some of the work has been costing peaks of as much as $600,000 a day.

“There is a huge programme of work being undertaken to have our network repaired and rebuilt, and it’s been great to see the bridges and crossings that have been installed to date,” she said.

“There is a lot more to do, but we are working as quickly as we can – our thanks go to all the teams involved in pulling out the stops to get this done, and to our communities for their patience.”

The demolition of the broken sections of Redclyffe Bridge was “going well, with three-four weeks remaining”, the council said, adding it was working with the adjacent community through options for a temporary solution which could coincide with demolition.

“The earliest potential date for opening is the end of June,” it said in a media release.

A solution for the Brookfield Bridge, between Meeanee and Pākōwhai, was among other bridge options being investigated.

Some of the works done so far: a Bailey bridge has been installed to replace the Rissington Bridge, a temporary bridge has been put in place at Dartmoor, the Ellis-Wallace low-level crossing has been installed in Esk Valley, the Arapaoanui low-level crossing has opened and temporary access has been established for Matapiro Bridge.

Bailey bridges are planned for the Ellis-Wallace, Moeangiangi and Mangatutu low-level crossings, and unless there are unexpected disruptions, it is estimated they will open at the end of this month.

A Bailey bridge at Whanawhana could be open next Monday, the day national highways management agency Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency plans to re-open State Highway 2′s Napier-Wairoa route, with a Bailey bridge now in place at the site of the Waikare Bridge which was destroyed, near Putorino.

The design of the Crystal Twin culvert is complete and temporary access has been reinstated for this structure, as well as the McVicars culvert. Crownthorpe Bridge is due to be complete at the end of June, and solutions for the Darkeys Spur No. 1, Puketapu and Kereru Rd Gorge bridges are also being investigated.