People who walk and cycle can look forward to a safe summer in Tairua, following the opening of a new footbridge across Graham's Stream at the northern end of the town.

A small blessing led by local Kaumatua Joe Davis (Ngāti Hei) was held at the new Graham's Stream footbridge site on Tuesday morning, before the ribbon was cut to officially declare it open.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Waikato System Manager, Cara Lauder, says the people of Tairua rely on safe access over waterways to stay connected and for the community to thrive.

'We are thrilled to open the footbridge, which we know will be put to good use, allowing for safer journeys for people who walk and cycle in Tairua, especially during busy holiday periods.”

Prior to the footbridge opening, pedestrians and cyclists have been using the existing single-lane bridge, which is shared by state highway traffic.

The suspension footbridge sits approximately five metres downstream of the existing bridge and includes a path across the berm to connect it with the road.

The bridge construction was intended to take six weeks and started in August. Both construction and the bridge opening were delayed by Covid-19 Alert Level changes.

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• Covid-19 services update: nzta.govt.nz/COVID19
• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook: facebook.com/NZTAWaikatoBoP
• Twitter: twitter.com/WakaKotahiWaiBP
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)