17:19:08 Friday 22 August 2025

Matapihi bridge nears completion

Repairs to the pedestrian walkway on the Matapihi Railway Bridge are expected to be completed in the next couple of weeks, as Tauranga City Councillors discuss re-opening ceremony options.

The walkway was closed to foot traffic in October last year due to safety concerns arising as a result of an ongoing and long standing lack of maintenance.


Repairs on the Matapihi Rail Bridge are almost complete.

A structural investigation in March last year found significant rotting and rusting to the wooden beams and steel supports under the pathway.

Security guards were stationed at either end of the footbridge on May 31, advising users the bridge was considered unsafe by engineers and for users to avoid bunching together.

Councillors voted to keep the bridge open to avoid people crossing the harbour via the railway tracks before officially closing it in October.

At a Tauranga City Council meeting earlier today councillors were told repairs are almost complete, although an official opening date is yet to be set.

The rebuild has taken a month longer than originally expected and was originally estimated to cost $770,000.

The Matapihi Rail Bridge was built in 1924. A footbridge was then constructed in the 1950s due to the increasing number of people being killed by jumping off the bridge to avoid trains.

About 30 people, many of them Matapihi residents, were killed on the bridge until the footbridge was constructed.

The bridge is now recognised by the council as an important access route for pedestrians and cyclists between Matapihi, the Bayfair/Arataki area and the city centre with up to 200 people using the pathway on the bridge every day.

Matapihi residents are the biggest users of the bridge pathway, and the Tauranga City Council is providing a free mini bus service for Matapihi residents between Matapihi and Bayfair six days a week while the bridge is closed.

8 comments

Budget

Posted on 26-02-2013 09:47 | By maccachic

How much over budget is this project going to be?


more expense

Posted on 26-02-2013 13:32 | By dumbkof1

official opening for footbridge how much is that going to cost how many official guests wil;l be invited more money wasted by this money no object council


haka ???

Posted on 26-02-2013 14:40 | By Captain Sensible

"official Opening"...sniff...sniff...sniff...I smell a haka coming!!!!


short sighted

Posted on 26-02-2013 14:58 | By repho

TCC missed an opportunity to do something special with this bridge. It doesn't appear to be much wider than before and as it is shared by both walkers and cyclists there still isn't really enough room. And the opening will be a joke. When you consider that it will pretty much be a maximum of 3 abreast if there is a reasonable crowd be prepared for a que. Typical of TCC though. They pat themselves on the back and shout "job well done" with their head in the sand pandering to noisy minorities.


courtesy van

Posted on 26-02-2013 15:04 | By repho

I've seen the courtesy van parked numerous times at the beach. Who is keeping tabs on its use?


Width not TCC's call.

Posted on 26-02-2013 15:27 | By Murray.Guy

TCC does not control the width of the walkway as the bridge is not owned by Council. The bridge is in such a poor state the replacement walkway mustn't put any more load on the bridge structure. Personally, the narrower width adds to safety as any wider would put pedestrians at greater risk from speeding cyclists. The age and condition of the bridge is why the Southern Pipe Line cannot be economically attached to it.


Its only an extension

Posted on 26-02-2013 17:18 | By Sambo

of the $10 Tauranga waterfront work done, and the Council had a party for that, so who knows what we will get tossed at us this time, it really defies belief that a opening is even being discussed, finish the bloody work, pack up your gear, and lets get on with it, why do we have to throw money at a ribbon cutting ceremony.


width decision

Posted on 28-02-2013 16:34 | By repho

Of course it was TCC to decide and sign off on the width of the new cycle/footbridge. TCC paid for it, signed off on the design and contracted the builder. As for weight.. you have got to be kidding. A few pedestrians and cyclists and an extra meter of width is pretty miniscule compared to the weight of a freight train. Get real.


Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.