The new Moteo-Puketapu Bridge has been officially opened with a dawn blessing, restoring the vital community connection that was destroyed in Cyclone Gabrielle.
Hastings Mayor, Sandra Hazlehurst said she was excited to see the Moteo and Puketapu communities reconnected and thanked them for
their patience.
“This bridge has become a symbol – not just of what was lost in Cyclone Gabrielle, but of how far we’ve come together on the road to recovery. We thank our communities for their unwavering support and to the many people who have helped make this day possible,” said the Mayor.
Yesterday’s celebrations also marked the reopening of the Puketapu Loop section of the Hawke’s Bay Trails Great Ride, thanks to the efforts of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, supported by MBIE, Ministry of Tourism, and New Zealand Cycle Trail.
In total, 19 local bridges and large culverts were destroyed in the cyclone, but the collapse of the previous Puketapu Bridge was one of the starkest examples of the immense destruction caused.
The old bridge had to be completely demolished, leaving a physical divide between either side of the Puketapu community.
Unlike other damaged crossings where temporary bailey bridges were installed, the scale of the damage to this bridge was too great for a short-term solution. From the outset, the focus was on building a resilient, permanent replacement – one that could withstand future events and serve generations to come.
Two and a half years on, the result is a new, stronger, two-lane bridge with a shared cycle and walking path. Built three metres higher than the original, with piles reaching 41 metres deep, and designed with three columns instead of five to reduce debris build-up. The bridge was engineered to be more durable, carry heavier loads, and resist higher-intensity earthquakes.
Part of the $800 million transport recovery programme across the Hastings district, the new bridge, valued at $28 million, was fully funded by Central Government’s National Infrastructure Funding and Financing programme.
Contractors, WSP and Fulton Hogan, led the design and build, with many subcontractors and workers putting in long days on site, the Council said in a statement. From relocating longfin eels to protect the river ecosystem to hosting open days and school visits
– including a special highlight, ‘Mr Mustard’ the giant yellow crane – the build has been embraced by the community.
The new name, Moteo–Puketapu Bridge, honours the historic link between the two communities on either side of the Tūtaekurī River, first established when a swing bridge was installed in 1906 so Moteo children could cross safely to school.
Engagement with mana whenua hapū Ngāti Hinepare, Ngāti Maahu and Ngāi Tāwhao has been ongoing since the start of the project, and in the coming months a pou tipuna will also be installed near the viewing platform above Vicarage Road, acknowledging the ancestry of these hapū and their deep connection to the whenua, Mayor Hazlehurst confirmed.
“It’s a lifeline, a reconnection, and a promise of resilience. It stands as a testament to what we can achieve when we work together, and it will provide safety, security, and contribute to the local economy for years to come,” she said.
