Next month’s four-day, full road closure of State Highway 1 between Taupō and Tūrangi for bridge strengthening work on Waiotaka No.2 Bridge is “a bit of a bugger” says Taupō Mayor John Funnell but NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has little option.

By Chris Marshall

“They've done a fair bit of work on when is the right time to close it and… there isn't a right time, but when is it least inconvenient to the most people and that's why they picked early October.” The closure from 8pm on Thursday, October 1 until 5am on Tuesday, October 6 covers the middle weekend of the term three school holidays so would mean no disruption to school buses, said Tūrangi-Tongariro ward councillor Sandra Greenslade.

“NZTA are very good with us these days, they're actually very understanding… They've included a weekend, so, hopefully your normal Monday to Friday people are not working. I think they've done really well, they're very, very considerate.”

In a release NZTA said the project would address scour damage around the bridge approaches, helping protect the route and extend the bridge's service life. 

Large steel sheet piles will be installed behind the bridge abutments across the full width of the road.

The bridge, between Tūrangi and Motuoapa near the Waiotaka Scenic Reserve, carries traffic across the Waiotaka River.  

"We've explored a number of options with our contractors, but unfortunately the constrained environment around the bridge means the work cannot be completed while keeping the road open," says NZTA Waikato area manager Andy Oakley in the release.

Semi-retired truckie Shades Taylor was concerned the area would struggle to cope with the economic impact.

“Retail in Taupō and Tūrangi is not in a good way.”
He also doubted enough resources would be deployed to get the work done within deadline.

“It'll spin out to another day or two.”

Another local truck driver Taupō and Tūrangi News spoke to accepted the work had to be done even if it was frustrating.

“Diesel's nearly up to $3 a litre again, but it's the time. That's three hours extra on a return trip between here and Wellington… It's going to put some fellas over the limit in terms of driving hours.
“Now, as much as we moan about it, I will say that the road works they've done in the last 12 months have been awesome, so we’ve just got to grin and bear it.”

Both he and Funnell didn’t want to countenance the longer delay that could follow if the bridge’s condition was left to get worse.

“Well, it’d be a bit longer than four days to fix, wouldn't it?”
Funnell said NZTA had been keeping in regular contact.

“The plan is to get in there and get it done, but of course it's like anything like that. You never know till you get in there, what you're in for.”

NZTA said it had spoken with local businesses, iwi and key stakeholders on the timing of the closure but understood there was no ideal time to undertake work of such scale.

Contractors would be working extended shifts and were committed to completing the work as quickly as possible, Oakley said in the release. 

Greenslade said NZTA was a lot more open to suggestions than in the past.

“We're pretty much given a month’s notice.”

She warned locals it would not be a good option to use Waiotaka Road as an informal detour.

“That is a ford, and a blooming serious ford too. I used to do it in the days when I had a 4-wheel drive, but I wouldn't dream of doing it in an ordinary car.”

She believed emergency services would be monitoring the road.

“Because they don't want to be down there pulling people out of the Waiotaka River.”

During the closure, SH1 traffic will be detoured via SH41, SH32 and SH30 before reconnecting with SH1. The detour will add about 110km and one hour 22 minutes to journeys.

Travel between Tūrangi and Taupō will increase by around 60km and 45 minutes. 

The closure points will be located at the intersections of SH1 and Grace/Waiotaka roads in Tūrangi, and SH1 and Korohe Road in Motuoapa.