Pekatahi Bridge, located north of Tāneatua on State Highway 2, will close daily for maintenance from Monday, April 15 for three days.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises the closures will take place between 8am and 5pm Monday to Wednesday, to allow contractors to repair and replace broken and loose decking planks.

The Pekatahi Bridge is located 2.75kms west of Tāneatua. The bridge is a 300 metre long single lane wooden bridge on top of existing steel substructure.

Roger Brady, NZTA Regional Manager Maintenance and Operations, Waikato and Bay of Plenty, says the routine maintenance of the Pekatahi Bridge is a coordinated effort to get the best outcome possible for all involved.

“Due to the narrow width of the bridge a full closure is required to ensure this work can be carried out safely,” says Roger.

A detour will be in place for all traffic; northbound using Tāneatua Road, Arawa Road, Hinemoa Street and onto SH30 towards Awakeri and southbound traffic will use the same route in reverse.

This detour is expected to add up to 20 minutes to journey times and is suitable for all vehicles, including High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMV).

“SH2 is an important route for many, and we make every effort to combine our maintenance activities on the Pekatahi Bridge, to minimise the period of time the bridge has to be closed," says Roger.

"A lot of planning work is involved in ensuring the right result, and we’d also like to acknowledge the assistance of Whakatāne District Council, who allow the detour route on their local roads."

NZTA thanks road user for their co-operation and patience while we do this important work.

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

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