The first planned closure of State Highway 35 at Rotokautuku Bridge has been delayed and will not take place next Monday, September 23.

The first date for work at the bridge will now be Monday, October 7 between midday and 12.30pm.

During the closure, the highway will be closed in both directions between Bridge Rd and Thatcher Rd.

While the bridge remains structurally sound, repairs to the bearings and cross bracing are needed to restore the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle and to improve its strength.

Transport Rebuild East Coast crews, on behalf of NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, will be raising the bridge by a few millimetres to carry out this work.

A further three, 30-minute bridge closures are required in late October and November with the dates and times to be communicated in the next few weeks.

There are no viable detours. NZTA is reminding road users on this stretch of SH35 to plan for this delay or avoid travelling at these times.

August 25:

State Highway 35 at Rotokautuku Bridge in Ruatoria will be closed to traffic for 30-minute periods over four separate days for repairs and improvements.

The highway will be closed in both directions between Bridge Rd and Thatcher Rd for 30 minutes from 12pm til 12.30pm, on the following dates:

• Monday September 23
• Tuesday October 8
• Wednesday October 23
• Monday November 11

While the bridge remains structurally sound, repairs to the bearings and cross bracing are needed to restore the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle and to improve its strength.

TREC crews, on behalf of NZTA, will be raising the bridge by a few millimetres to carry out this work.

There are no viable detours. NZTA is reminding road users on this stretch of SH35 to plan for these delays or avoid travelling at these times.

The work is weather dependent and the contingency date for each closure is two weeks after the initial planned date.

Electronic signs - VMS boards - will be in place on the highway advising of the closure times/days from one week out. 

Work to improve the bridge will be ongoing over the next few months. Outside of the planned closures, minimal impact on traffic is expected.

Crews expect to be finished the bridge improvements by late 2024.

Plan ahead for a safe, enjoyable journey. Keep up to date with:

• Traffic updates: journeys.nzta.govt.nz/traffic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nztahbg
• X: https://x.com/nztacni
• Journey planner: journeys.nzta.govt.nz
• Phone: 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49)