South Wairarapa's mayor has gone into bat against the national roading agency to get improvements to Waihenga bridge.
In a letter to the NZ Transport Agency, Adrienne Staples said while the council "reluctantly" accepted the 100-year-old bridge was unlikely to be replaced in the short to medium term, she urged the agency to prioritise work on the bridge's foundations.
Waihenga bridge, on SH53 between Featherston and Martinborough, was re-assessed by the agency recently and given a further life expectancy of 40 years.
Ms Staples said the frequent closure of the bridge was "clearly unacceptable" to residents.
The letter also highlighted the risk during emergencies - as well as the bridge closing, alternative routes were also often compromised in heavy weather events, leaving Martinborough isolated. "The reliability of our highway network is vitally important to our well-being.