The NZ Transport Agency is bringing forward three weeks of repair work on South Westland’s Karangarua Bridge deck to the week starting Monday, 19 September.
Work has been underway on other parts of the bridge since early August with minimal traffic disruption.
However, the deck repairs will require full traffic closures overnight between 10 pm and 6 am Monday night through to Saturday morning – ie each weekday night. The bridge will be open Saturday and Sunday nights.
Emergency services will be able to get through but drivers who routinely travel between Haast and Fox Glacier, State Highway 6, late at night or early in the morning will need to plan ahead around the closures.
The three weeks of work, starting a week earlier than anticipated, will help reduce the effects of the closure on the busy summer tourism season.
The Transport Agency thanks all drivers and affected communities for their patience while this important piece of infrastructure is repaired.
The Karangarua Bridge, built in 1940, is the longest single-suspension span bridge at 130 metres still in use in New Zealand.
