The Government has welcomed news from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) that funding has been approved for strengthening work on the State Highway 50 (SH50) Ngaruroro River Bridge, south of Fernhill, Hawke’s Bay.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop said that while bridge was an important part of the transport network in Hawke’s Bay, its current speed and weight restrictions had been “hugely frustrating” for users.
“I know freight operators will be relieved that with funding now approved, strengthening work can finally get underway,” Mr Bishop says.
Temporary restrictions on the Ngaruroro River bridge have been in place since October 2022 after an assessment identified that, while the bridge was structurally safe to use, it did not have the capacity to sustain heavy traffic demands.
“Total project costs are expected to be around $10–$20 million. Design and consenting is now complete and NZTA will be engaging with stakeholders in the coming months. The contractor will be confirmed shortly and construction is expected to start in 2026 and take approximately 11 months to complete. Temporary traffic management will continue to be in place throughout construction.”
Once the strengthening work is completed, current restrictions on the bridge will be removed, and the bridge will become suitable for High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMVs) and 50MAX configurations.
“This is a considerable upgrade, as the bridge has never been suitable for these types of vehicles, even before the 2022 restrictions were put in place,” Mr Bishop said.
“I’ve heard from the freight sector just how important this corridor is, and what a difference the strengthening work will make to productivity and resilience. I’ve been a strong advocate for this vital work and look forward to our network operating at full capacity again,” said Napier MP, Katie Nimon.
