Road users may spot mysterious happenings on the Te Aroha bridge on Friday 8 April, as a back-pack spraying squad undertake an important clean up.
But despite the bridge’s historic status, the back-pack sprayers are not ghost busters – but moss-busters.
Giving a little love to the gateway to Te Aroha, the lichen spraying works are being undertaken by volunteers marshalled by Matamata-Piako District Mayor Ash Tanner.
Some say that it’s fitting that the district mayor is leading the spruce up –
“Coulter Bridge in Te Aroha was built in 1928 and named after Robert Coulter, a former mayor of Te Aroha for 20 years. Now it’s getting a clean-up by one of Coulter’s successors”, says Waka Kotahi System manager Cara Lauder.
The bridge spans the Waihou River and connects thousands of vehicles each day to the Waikato and Coromandel.
The moss and mould removal work will get underway around 9am and is expected to take 2 to 5 hours depending on how receptive the mossy growth is to the mayor’s efforts.
Stop/Go traffic management will be in place for vehicles and a dedicated pedestrian controller will be in place to ensure pedestrians can cross safely.
“While we understand that the public will be intrigued to see the mayor in mould fighting form, we ask that pedestrians traverse the bridge as quickly as possible to ensure the spraying works can continue safely,” says Cara Lauder.
The moss removal is part of efforts to beautify the historic bridge, with painting to follow, and is weather dependent.
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