Pekatahi Bridge, located north of Tāneatua on State Highway 2, will close daily for maintenance from Monday 22 January 2024 for 4 - 5 days.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises the closures will take place daily between 8.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Thursday, to allow contractors to replace a section of handrail and repair broken and loose decking planks. The closure may be extended to Friday morning between 8.30am and 12pm (midday) if required, to finish the work.
“Due to the narrow width of the bridge a full closure is required to ensure this work can be carried out safely,” says Frankie Evans, Bay of Plenty Journey Manager for NZ Transport Agency.
“We planned this work to coincide with the school holidays when there is less traffic on the road, so fewer people will be inconvenienced.
“The routine maintenance of the Pekatahi Bridge is a coordinated effort to get the best outcome possible for all involved,” Ms Evans says.
A detour will be in place for northbound traffic, using Tāneatua Road, Arawa Road, Hinemoa Street and onto State Highway 30 towards Awakeri. Southbound traffic should 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.
“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," says Ms Evans.
The bridge will be re-opened ahead of Auckland Anniversary weekend, ensuring holidaymakers can reach their destination as quickly as possible.
