The Wakefield St Bridge has been closed to all vehicles since January. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
The Wakefield St Bridge has been closed to all vehicles since January. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown
The possible reallocation of Government funds could greenlight two Whanganui bridge replacements next year.
But if that does not happen, Whanganui District Council may have to wait until 2027.
Council roading manager Mark Allingham said present value end-of-life (PVEoL) funding applications were being worked through with NZ Transport Agency WakaKotahi (NZTA) for the Wakefield St Bridge replacement and a new walking/cycling clip-on at the Aramoho Rail Bridge.
“We are still accumulating more information for them [NZTA],” he said.
“For Aramoho, it’s around the economic assessment of the cycle and pedestrian value to the town.
“Because both [Wakefield St and Aramoho] aren’t major costs, and if we have the applications and preliminary designs done and we’re shovel-ready, we’d be a very good candidate.”
NZTA’s next three-year National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) will be announced by August 31, 2027.
“That is like a contestable fund, and there is only so much money NZTA has,” Allingham said.
“Whoever has the best applications and reasoning gets the money.”
In a social media post on September 14, Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe said NZTA funding for Wakefield St was “on its way”, and “if all goes to plan, we’re aiming to start building this summer.”
At a council meeting on September 16, elected members were told NZTA had yet to approve funding. Then-council chief executive David Langford said then the submission of a business case was imminent.
The Wakefield St Bridge has been closed to vehicles since January.
The Aramoho clip-on is inspected every two weeks. Photo / Mike Tweed
The Chronicle reported in August that the Aramoho clip-on, attached to the KiwiRail-owned bridge over the Whanganui River, had avoided closure by being inspected every two weeks.
Allingham said both bridge projects required coordination with KiwiRail.
The Wakefield St Bridge, built in 1954 using second-hand timber for the major components, goes over rail lines.
“Having a third party in the scenario can cause a couple of issues.”
If the council’s applications are successful, NZTA will cover 68% of the costs.
A NZTA spokesperson said the agency was “working with the council in anticipation of receiving” the funding applications.
“The assessment would look at factors such as the life expectancy of the bridges and the level of maintenance spend on the current structures,” they said.
“If the assessment favours replacement, NZTA would look to reallocate funding; however, it is too early at this stage to confirm.”
A change in Government next year could result in it having different priorities, Allingham said.
“Active transport is not a focus for them at the moment, but economics is, and that’s why having a good economic case is important for Aramoho.
“Freight and productivity are important to this Government. With where Wakefield is, it looks like a good application.
“We have to target our applications to what the Government wants to achieve.”
He said councils had three years to use funding allocated through the NLTP.
“As you’re getting a year and a half to two years through, and it’s starting to look like people might not be able to use it in that time, that money gets surplussed back into the pot and relocated.
“Most councils will hold their funds as long as they can.
“We just keep working on getting more information and putting the best case forward.”
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.
