Waiau bridge site plan almost ready

Press, 8 September 1976, Page 2

Waiau bridge site plan almost ready

Design work for the new Waiau River bridge on State Highway 1 is likely to be completed in time for piles and beams to be ordered early next year, and a contract for the construction to be let by Mav or June.

“If we can Keep to this time-table, the bridge should be completed by the end of the 1979-80 financial year," said the District Commissioner of Works CMr P. F. Reynolds). “On present indications, it will be a fairly simple Job, and there should not be any problems." The new bridge will be of perhaps 25 spans, and at WMm will be 150 m shorter than the present bridge, and 200 m downstream from it. The cost, including new approaches, will be between 52.5 M and S3M.

The site plan was within days of completion, but the bridge design could not be begun until the foundation, question had been settled and agreement reached with: the North Canterbury Catch-1.

■meat Board on waterway I rights. It was hoped to have this agreement next month. Mr Reynolds said the National Roads Board had recognised the need to get on with work on the Waiau bridge and 11 other bridges ‘between Christchurch and iPicton to restore Class I 'loading standards to State highway 1. I "It is estimated that this I work will cost an average of SIM a year over the next 10 vears,” he said. 'The Ministry of Works and Development has been given another $250,000 this year to strengthen bridges, carry out the Waiau investigations, and to check deterioration. “The board will give us an extra SIM next year, and SI.SM in the 1978-79 financial year, all for bridge work.’’

Because of severe load restrictions on the old bridge, heavy traffic had to use t t Leader Road, said Mr Reynolds. The Ministry and the Cheviot and Amur! county ‘ councils were working jointly to upgrade the road. To make the old bridge safer, the first spans at leither end had been

strengthened, and wheel guards had been moved in on the deck to centralise the load. > Of the 11 sub-standard ‘bridges, seven were short ones. Two Ministry gangs would within two or three weeks be working on these bridges from either end, and they should be strengthened by January. The four other bridges, over the Kowhai, Okarania, Oaro, and Hapuku rivers, were in a different class.

The Kowhai was being replaced by a new bridge. The Hapuku needed work on its deck. and would then be studied to see if more work were needed, said Mr Reynolds. The Okarahia was not worth repairing, and should Ibe replaced as soon as possible. The Oaro needed a major job of strengthening.

‘‘All this work will be completed or in hand by March 31, and because of the board’s action in allocating money, there is now the assurance that these bridges will not be subject to overload restrictions for much longer,” he said.