State Highway 2’s Pekatahi Bridge has reopened after a six-day closure that allowed crews to complete major maintenance work.

The 325m-long one-lane bridge east of Whakatāne reopened at noon on Thursday, following around-the-clock work by contractors who removed the bridge’s ageing timber wearing surface and carried out repairs.

New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Bay of Plenty area manager Sandra King said in a statement that crews worked through challenging weather conditions to complete the work before the Matariki public holiday period.

The closure, which began on July 4, was designed to improve the bridge’s driving surface and extend the life of the structure while plans progress for a replacement crossing.

During the shutdown, workers used small excavators to remove the diagonal timber wearing boards, while nails and screws were removed by hand.

Crews also repaired a damaged side rail and installed ramps at both ends of the bridge where the deck level is now lower than the approaches.

Motorists are being warned that the bridge will feel different to drive across and are urged to obey the temporary 30km/h speed limit.

NZTA said the new timber surface may be slippery when wet, with motorcyclists advised to take extra care while adjusting to the changed conditions.

The transport agency will monitor the new surface over the coming weeks and assess whether additional friction treatment is required, which could allow the speed limit to be increased.

The bridge will continue to undergo regular maintenance inspections while work progresses on a long-term replacement.

This month, NZTA awarded engineering consultancy Beca a contract to continue detailed design and consenting work for a new two-lane bridge. It is planned to be built alongside the existing crossing, allowing traffic to continue using the current bridge during construction.

The project is expected to be construction-ready by mid-2027 and available for funding consideration through the 2027-30 National Land Transport Programme.

Subject to funding approval, construction is expected to take between 18 and 24 months.