Repairs to historic bridge

One of the country's last combined road/rail bridges is closed for repairs this week.

The Pekatahi bridge on SH2/White Pine Bush Road from Awakeri To Taneatua will be closed each night from 7pm-6am.


Pekatahi bridge. Photo NZRCranes.org

The detour round the works will add an extra ten minutes journey time, the New Zealand Transport Agency advises.

Detours are: Eastbound wse SH30 From Awakeri Into Whakatane, onto Hinemoa St which continues as Arawa Rd.

Then turn right onto Valley Rd, which continues as Taneatua Rd, then left back onto SH2. Westbound traffic should simply reverse these directions.

The bridge carries the East Coast Main Truck Line to its former terminus at Taneatua.

Now disused, the line was originally meant to connect with the Gisborne-to-Napier railway line.

Work did start from both ends, but an economic depression, two World Wars and an influenza epidemic interrupted development, and the line was never completed.

You may also like....

0 comments

Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.