The Pekatahi Bridge will be closed daily for essential maintenance during part of the April school holidays, the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) says.

The State Highway 2 bridge, north of Tāneatua in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, will close from 8.30am to 4.30pm between April 13 and 17.

This would enable complete deck repairs and installation of a new side rail as part of ongoing maintenance to keep the bridge operational until a replacement was built, an agency statement said.

In December, Transport Minister Chris Bishop described the bridge as “not fit for purpose” and said the Government would replace it at a cost of $64 million.

During the April closure, crews will replace cracked and damaged running board planks, remove broken plank fragments, secure loose boards and install a newly made side rail, replacing one damaged late last year.

NZTA said in a statement the bridge was showing its age and required frequent maintenance.

Pekatahi Bridge reconstruction works. Photo/Supplied

“Unevenness in the underlying deck causes the running board planks to move under traffic, leading to protruding screws, cracked or broken planks and loose chipseal.”

NZTA Bay of Plenty area manager, Sandra King, said maintaining the bridge remained a priority.

“The replacement bridge is still a few years away, so our focus is keeping the current bridge safe and open for everyone who relies on this route.

“We know closures are disruptive, but full daytime closures are necessary due to the narrowness of the bridge and the nature of the work, and to ensure our contractors can work safely.”

Scheduling the work during the school holidays helped minimise disruption as there was less traffic and no school buses, she said.

The detour during the April daytime closure. Graphic / NZTA

NZTA’s statement said it would increase safety inspections and do minor repairs outside of the full closures, where possible.

Full plank replacement could only happen when the bridge was fully closed.

The bridge surface would be rough after the closure and would not be “a smooth driving experience”.

NZTA was considering steel plates as an option to help support the bridge. It was working through installation options – which would require extended full bridge closures – while minimising disruption.

Detour details

A detour, adding up to 20 minutes to journeys, will be in place for all traffic during the April 13-17 closure:

· Northbound via Tāneatua Rd, Arawa Rd, Hinemoa St, and SH30 through Awakeri.

· Southbound traffic will use the same route in reverse.

The detour is suitable for all vehicles, including trucks classed as High Productivity Motor Vehicles.