The Waikare Gorge project includes a 4km road realignment and a new 160m bridge across the Waikare Gorge on SH2 at Putorino north of Napier. The project is part of a series of roading improvements on the East Coast to increase safety, resilience, and access for communities.
The Waikare Gorge is a key point on the journey on State Highway 2 (SH2) between Napier and Ōpōtiki.
After Cyclone Gabrielle, the bridge spanning the gorge was destroyed, severing connection between Wairoa and Napier. After three months, a temporary Bailey bridge was installed while work on the long-term realignment project continued.
Funding for this project was confirmed in February 2025.
The approximately 4km realignment and new 160m arch bridge will ensure a more resilient and safer highway network, providing greater security of access for freight and communities, and avoid future emergency and recovery works in the gorge.
Construction will begin as soon as we complete pre-implementation work such as negotiations with landowners, detailed design and consenting. Once construction is underway, the project is expected to take 4 years to complete.
The Waikare Gorge realignment project has been identified as an important project on State Highway 2 (SH2) to make it safer and less likely to suffer closures. It also is seeking to become more accessible, by making travel times through the route more consistent for drivers and less likely to suffer from delays.
SH2 from Hawke’s Bay to Gisborne is key to enabling economic growth in the region. The roading network in northern Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti has a range of challenging natural environments which have been subjected to repeated serious weather events.
The ability to fully-realise the region’s economic potential is dependent on an efficient and reliable roading network to major ports and markets.
The Tairāwhiti Programme Business Case (PBC), approved in September 2017, was funded through Regional Economic Development funds in response to the Tairāwhiti Economic Action plan. The geographical scope of this PBC included the journey on SH2 between Napier and Ōpōtiki. The Waikare Gorge was identified as a key pinch point on that journey. It was seen by stakeholders as a project that could deliver a significant contribution to the programme outcomes.
The problems identified in the PBC:
The project is a 4-kilometre realignment with a 160 metre arch bridge over the gorge. Other examples of an arch bridge can be seen crossing the Waikato River on the Taupō Bypass (100m span) and near Ngaruawahia as part of Te Awa cycleway (130m span).
The map below shows the potential route of the new section of state highway. Because this will be constructed mostly away from the existing SH2, there will be no traffic disruption, except when it comes to connecting the new road to the existing state highway.
The existing Bailey bridge will remain in place until the realignment is built. The Bailey bridge will follow a routine maintenance schedule with regular monitoring to ensure it remains safe and fit for purpose.
The white alignment remains the same as it was when consulted on. It is 3.9km and sits west of the existing 6km section of State Highway 2. More detail can be found here:
Media release: Preferred Waikare Gorge route could have one of NZ’s highest bridges (6 August 2021)
CloseThe design phase involves the development of a Specimen design to allow for resource consent submission. In this case, detailed design includes designing the geometric alignment of the new section of state highway. It involves set-up, planning, investigation, design and review, and helps ensure the project has been well-scoped and can be delivered on time, to budget and to a high standard.
CloseSpecimen design and resource consent application is expected to be complete mid next-year (June 2023). Specimen design involves a review of geotechnical investigation data for the site, the development of civil and structural plans, and resource consent application.
CloseAn arch bridge has been confirmed as the preferred bridge solution. This design will minimise damage to the gorge face. At just over 160m long and more than 60m tall, it could be one of New Zealand’s highest road bridges once built.
The project team has previously undertaken extensive engagement with landowners, mana whenua, the heavy haulage and freight industries, the local community, district/regional councils and other key stakeholders. The project continues to be developed alongside our partners.
Close
