Bridge strengthening work at the Ōmanawa River Bridge on State Highway 29 has been completed ahead of schedule, and the restrictions placed on road users for the past fortnight were lifted last night.
Roger Brady, Bay of Plenty System Manager, Maintenance and Operations, says this is a fantastic result, and everyone has played their part to ensure a successful outcome.
“We had originally planned for a four-week period where restrictions on permits for over-weight and over-dimension vehicles would be in place, along with a reduced speed limit over the bridge to reduce vibrations. To see this timeframe halved is a credit to the contractor, who has made every effort to minimise disruption to road users.
“This outcome is also a credit to the road users themselves; we asked people last week to slow down and observe the temporary speed limit, to ensure the work was successful. There was a noticeable drop in speed last week, and I have no doubt that this has played its part as well.
“When we all work together great things can happen, and this is an example of collaboration between all parties leading to a successful outcome.”
Traffic management on SH29 was removed last night. Some signage will remain on site until mid-June while the contractor removes scaffolding around the bridge. Over-weight and over-dimension permits have been reinstated for this route.
