Awatere bridge delays continue

Press, 27 June 1983, Page 6

Awatere bridge delays continue

Wellington reporter Motorists will continue to be held up at the Awatere road-rail bridge on the Main North Road, south of Blenheim, in spite of complaints to the Minister of Transport and Railways, Mr Gair. The road-rail bridge over the Awatere is 265 m long and the National Roads Board makes an annual payment to use the truss

under the rail bridge for the road bridge. It is a major link with the rest of the South Island and often carries more than 2000 vehicles a day. Traffic has been held up during the last six months, at irregular intervals, while the Railways Corporation has been blast-cleaning and painting the bridge. The painting, together with minor structural repairs, has already taken several months more than expected. In early April, Ministry of Works and Development staff were used to control

traffic. Since last December, there has been growing criticism of the delays, especially by the local branch of Federated Farmers, to the Minister and to the member of Parliament for Marlborough, Mr D. L. Kidd. Mr Gair said last week that a further contract was planned to continue the work during the 1983-84 season. Traffic might have to contend with disruptions for the next two years while bridge works were being completed. Temporary bridging of the Awatere to permit continuous traffic would not be

practicable, he said. At its June meeting, the National Roads Board expressed its “strong dissatisfaction” to the Railways Corporation with the delays. The Board wants a temporary by-pass, with costs to be shared, and has asked the corporation to complete all the work next summer. A resolution that the board authorise an amount of $35,000 for a temporarybypass was withdrawn. “I am scared that if we put in a temporary bridge it

will end up skm downstream in the first flood,” said the Acting Director of Reading, Mr R. B. Fisher. The Secretary for Transport, Mr A. J. Healey, told the board that Mr Gair had been hearing from irate motorists, but finding a formula to satisfy road users while meeting the needs of the Railways Corporation would not be easy. He doubted if a temporary bridge could be erected for $35,000, and said the idea needed a lot more thought.