Whanganui’s Aramoho pedestrian bridge replacement likely to wait until at least 2027

The clip-on bridge was built in 1961. Photo / NZME

The Aramoho walking bridge in Whanganui remains standing, but the district council is no closer to securing Government funding for its replacement.

Whanganui District Council roading manager Mark Allingham said it was “extremely unlikely” the council would receive surplus NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) funding in 2026.

“Most of the councils across the country have had their walking and cycling budgets [from NZTA] cut back quite strongly,” he said.

“All going well, in the next NLTP [National Land Transport Plan], it would be funded, but there are no guarantees around that.”

The next NLTP will be announced before August 31 next year.

The Chronicle reported last August the bridge had been considered for closure, but a new engineering report and fortnightly inspections kept it open.

At the time, Allingham said the council was “putting Band-Aids on Band-Aids, patching bits and pieces and keeping it going“.

Replacing the 65-year-old bridge, a clip-on walking and cycleway attached to the KiwiRail bridge across the Whanganui River, will cost about $3 million.

Allingham told the council’s operations and performance committee last month it was a major priority to keep it open, and funding applications were with NZTA.

“That bridge would probably be my highest strategic risk at this point in time.”

The council is waiting for news on reallocated NZTA funding to replace the nearby Wakefield St Bridge, with an announcement expected this month.

Allingham told the Chronicle that from an NZTA perspective, they provided for two “very different” activities.

“One is road transport, and one is walking and cycling.

“Road transport has a far higher focus at the moment.”

The 2024-27 NLTP included $460m for walking and cycling improvements, down from $910m in the 2021-24 programme.

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.