Bailey bridges temporary fix for cyclone impacted areas, says Transport Minister

Six temporary Bailey bridges are being deployed to reconnect parts of the North Island cutoff in the devastating wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Three Bailey bridges, a type of prefabricated temporary single-lane bridge which can be put up quickly, had been built in Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Wairoa with another three in progress, Transport Minister Michael Wood​ announced on Thursday.

Plans were underway for an 81-metre long bridge, the longest, to be installed on State Highway 35 where the Hikuwai Bridge had been washed out, and another 42m bridge along SH2 over the Waikare River reconnecting Wairoa and Napier.

A third 54-m bridge was planned to help reconnect the rural community of Rissington where its historic Bailey bridge over the Mangaone River had been destroyed.

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* Cyclone Gabrielle: Overnight deluge sees 30 metres of Napier-Taupō Rd fall away
* Cyclone Gabrielle: State highways left unrecognisable in the wake of the floods

Wood said the roading network had been “hit hard”, with the primary focus on getting lifeline roads open and reconnecting isolated communities.

“We’ve been able to use Bailey bridges as an interim measure to reconnect communities while longer term solutions to damaged bridges are explored,” he said.

“We’ve moved quickly with the support of NZDF (Defence Force) assets to get Bailey bridges into the hardest hit regions and restore pivotal transport routes for the communities.”

However, Tolaga Bay residents say the “partial solution” falls short, instead calling for a bypass over private farmland.

Federated Farmers national board member and transport spokesperson Mark Hooper​ said a bypass being created by Kuru Contracting over private land owned by the Potae​ family was a “practical response that offers longer-term resilience”.

Most crucially it would create access for heavy vehicles needed to get stock on and off farm, he said – the temporary Bailey allows only for light vehicle access.

“Given the high possibility of increased cyclone related damage in the future, an alternative transport route – of which the Hikuwai deviation would form part of – would seem to us a sensible investment at this critical time,” Hooper said.

Wood said they would continue working with local council to identify sites where the bridges could help restore essential transportation links.

Bailey bridges were just one of the tools being used in the short-term, Wood said, with the Government also adding another $250 million to the National Land Transport Fund.

Other options including diversions through private property, single lane access, and speed or weight restrictions being considered for cyclone impacted routes.

Wood said there was a large job ahead to determine the extent of which state and local roads can be rebuilt and which cannot or should not be replaced.

“This work will take some time, and so the Government’s focus has been to install interim measures while more permanent and resilient solutions are put in place.”

Several bridges were taken out across Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle, including several which connected the cities of Napier and Hastings.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has urged motorists to expect delays, with Waitangi Bridge on SH51 – just one of two remaining links between the cities – to be closed for load testing between 10am to 3pm on Friday.

The load testing is being done with the aim of reinstating the bridge to two lanes, which would help with the congestion currently being experienced.

“We’re hoping it will be a case of a bit of short-term pain for long-term gain,” said Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne journey manager Andre Taylor.

“We know how important this route is and being able to open it to two lanes is a high priority for us, our bridge engineers and the Hawke’s Bay community.”