Hastings District Council says the finish line is nearly in sight for the completion of the new and improved Puketapu Bridge, which is anticipated to be open late August this year, subject to weather and the timing of specialist construction materials arriving.
Wiped out by Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, the bridge is a vital connection for the community.
Work started on the rebuild in June/July last year, and the main contractor Fulton Hogan is currently constructing the barriers on the sides of the bridge, after which the road across it will asphalted.
As work on the bridge continues, roadworks have started at the Dartmoor Rd/Vicarage Rd intersection to upgrade footpaths and the carriageway as part of safety improvements to the approaches to the bridge.
Hastings Mayor, Sandra Hazlehurst said it was very exciting to be getting close to having the bridge restored.
“On top of the cyclone, the destruction of this bridge has had an enormous impact on the community living in this area, and also for the wider district as a whole,” she said.
“These connections are so important not only for local communities getting to and from town and the rest of the district, but also for our local economy, being important routes for our farming businesses to get produce to market safely and efficiently.
“We look forward to joining with the community to celebrate the opening of this much-improved, resilient access across the river.”
The new bridge is more than three metres higher than the previous one, and less vulnerable to woody debris getting stuck while being swept underneath it in flood events as it comprises just four spans meaning there are fewer piers in the waterway.
It has been upgraded from one lane to two and includes a shared user path for people choosing to bike or walk, which will safely link up to the regional Hawke’s Bay cycle trail.
Earlier this month, Springfield Rd reopened five weeks ahead of schedule, another improvement to the network in this part of the district.
