Ruapehu Road bridge set to re-open in Ohakune

Contractors completing the final work on the Ruapehu Rd overbridge this week. Photo / Bevan Conley

Work to replace a century-old one-lane timber bridge in Ohakune is complete.

The old rail overbridge on Ruapehu Rd was closed in November 2022 and the replacement bridge will be officially opened on Friday, August 11.

The bridge, along with the Mangateitei Rd overbridge, had been serving growers and contractors in Rangataua to transport their produce and materials to Ohakune for more than a century, but their replacement was overdue.

In 2021, the Ruapehu District Council introduced new weight restrictions and compliance cameras on the rail overbridges after local growers and contractors asked the council to urgently find a solution that wouldn’t force them to risk their safety and criminalise them just through operating their businesses.

The council appealed to Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency for funding to replace the two wooden bridges that cross the main trunk rail line on Ruapehu Rd.

Waka Kotahi allocated $48.3 million to the council’s three-year road budget, allowing it to commit to the replacement cost for the bridges.

Ruapehu district councillor David “Rabbit” Nottage said it was great to see the bridge set to re-open.

“The council wanted to see the Mangateitei bridge completed first but, because we needed to work with KiwiRail, it was decided that the Ruapehu Rd bridge should be completed first,” Nottage said.

“It’s great to see it finished, because there were a number of delays along the way.”

The first bridge had cost more than the amount budgeted, which could impact the repair of the Mangateitei bridge, Nottage said.

“There has been discussion about whether it could become a level crossing rather than a bridge and, again, that will be dependent on KiwiRail’s requirements.”

Nottage said the original bridges, built from native timbers, had lasted a remarkably long time and the beams would be salvaged for use on local projects.

“They were built to last, but they weren’t built for trucks, and the concern was that some truck drivers were ignoring the weight restrictions.”

The opening of the bridge is scheduled for 6.30am on Friday.

Liz Wylie is a multimedia journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle. She joined the editorial team in 2014 and regularly covers stories from Whanganui and the wider region. She also writes features and profile stories.