LIFESTYLER
October 9 2012
Kaipara
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Bridge work to hit economy by Paul Campbell and Kim Munro
Ten days of traffic stoppages — weather permitting — of ‘at least 30 minutes’ for traffic across the dilapidated single-lane Hardies Bridge on State Highway 12 at Matakohe, have been labelled as ‘disastrous’ for Kaipara business
First meeting for commissioners
A powhiri to welcome the Kaipara District Council Commissioners was held at chambers on Monday …
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Dancing in the family
The de Bruin sisters of Dargaville come from a long line of highland dancers going back three generations …
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Kaipara team working at the Haven
A team of local businesses are working together on an extension of Norfolk Court’s special needs unit …
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The NZ Transport Agency has erected electronic signs at the bridge approaches warning that the works will begin next Sunday, October 14th. There are no traffic detours immediately available. “Work to completely re-seal the one-lane bridge will take ten days to complete,” said NZTA’s acting State Highways manager for Auckland and Northland, Steve Mutton. But he adds that “fine weather will be needed to complete the re-sealing on time. We will do everything we can to minimise disruption for drivers, but during some phases of work they could face delays of at least 30 minutes because of the time needed to move workers and equipment off the bridge. CEO of the nearby Kauri Museum, Bet Nelley, says the bridge delays will be ‘disastrous for our bus traffic. These services operate on a very tight schedule and half-hour delays just don’t come into it.” Operations director of Farmers of New Zealand, Bill Guest says the delays will “seriously impact on the local economy. Milk tankers and logging trucks are economic life blood in themselves. The tankers particularly are tightly scheduled. As I have said before, simple box culverts could replace the bridges and carry two lanes of traffic — we are not looking at an immediate multi-million dollar bypass.” Mr Mutton said the electronic roadside signs will be used next week to inform
Signs of the times — Road closures and extreme delays are expected between October 14th–24th
drivers of the work so that they can chose alternative routes when they plan their journeys. But then he adds: “Due to the isolated location of the bridge, there are no local detour routes available which can be used to divert SH12 traffic.” The existing seal on Hardies Bridge will be stripped off and replaced. Some minor maintenance work will also be completed at the eastern end of the bridge. He said the bridge was last resealed 10 years ago. “There has been regular maintenance of the bridge surface since 2002, but the time has now come to re-lay the entire surface to provide smooth driving conditions. A 30kph speed restriction will be in place.” Information obtained by the Kaipara
Lifestyler from NZTA reveals the estimated cost of replacing the two bridges at Matakohe forms part of the proposed SH12 Matakohe Realignment project with a total estimated project cost, in today’s terms, of $20 million. Expenditure over a 12-year period on bridge repairs and maintenance totals around $370,000 for Hardies Bridge and $65,000 for Andersons Bridge, a little further west. “And in a few years time, that replacement cost will be $25 million and rising,” Mr Guest added. Northland MP, Mike Sabin has also identified the bridges as “a safety and economic risk” to the Kaipara. A public meeting to press for bridge replacement will be held at Matakohe on October 17.
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