An informal conversation during an Ōpōtiki council meeting shed some light on delays in repairing the Matekerepu Bridge.

Work began on the bridge near the intersection of State Highway 2 and Wainui Rd, about the time the new Matekerepu roundabout was completed in December last year.

Workers removed the surface, leaving a deep dip at each end of the small bridge, but they had not yet laid a new asphalt seal.

Councillor Barry Howe asked at an Ōpōtiki District Council meeting on Tuesday whether anyone knew when the work would be done.

“It’s getting ridiculous. It doesn’t seem like a big job.”

Mayor David Moore said the road was not the council’s responsibility, as it is part of New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi’s state highway system.

He had heard, however, that the agency was waiting for warmer weather.

“What I can tell you is that they are very well aware of it,” Moore said.

Chief executive Stace Lewer said the situation was an extremely unfortunate outcome for the Matekerepu roundabout project.

“The project was actually delivered really effectively and efficiently and this little stain that’s been left on it has been lingering on for a long time.

“It is because the cooler weather was not conducive to putting asphalt on so they made the call to delay it until the warmer weather,” he said.

Service delivery group manager Nathan Hughes added that he understood the sealing was going to require two half-hour closures.

“So, they are waiting to do it at night time. They don’t want to close the road during the day, and they need it to be above 10 degrees when they do the work.”

A Waka Kotahi spokesperson confirmed the assessment was correct, adding that they didn’t want to close the road during the day because it is a busy road with no detour available.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.