New No. 4 Road bridge opens in Te Puke
The new No. 4 Road bridge in Te Puke officially opened this week, marking the return of a vital permanent link for the local community.
A dawn blessing was held to mark the occasion, two and a half years after the original bridge was washed away during a severe weather event in January 2023.
The $6.1m, 30m-long, single-lane bridge across the Te Raparapa-ā-hoe stream, replaces a temporary Bailey bridge, that was put in place in March 2023.
The Bailey bridge, a portable, pre-fabricated steel truss bridge hired from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), was removed this week, a couple of days after the new bridge opened.
Western Bay Mayor James Denyer acknowledged the significance of the project and the effort taken to get to this point.
“When the original bridge was destroyed, restoring access to this community became an immediate priority,” he says.
“The Bailey bridge provided a temporary solution, but we knew a long-term fix was needed. The new bridge is the result of a huge team effort, and I’d like to thank everyone who helped make it happen, including Beca, Fulton Hogan and our Council staff.”
He extended his thanks to Waitaha and Tapuika iwi for their support throughout the project, and in particular to Luke Whare for his involvement and the blessing of the new bridge.
Mayor James also thanked the residents of No. 5 Road – a private road off No. 4 Road - for “graciously allowing use of their accessway” during both the Bailey bridge installation and the construction of the new bridge.
He made special mention of local resident Peter Bennett for allowing Fulton Hogan to use his land as a depot site, and Stephen McManaway for the use of his packhouse to host residents’ meetings.
Calum McLean, Council’s Director Transportation, says the team was focused on getting the bridge built as quickly as possible, despite the complexities of the site.
“We’re really pleased to have the new bridge in place for the community. Factors like difficult ground conditions on the southern approach, working in a confined space and some unhelpful weather made it challenging at times, but the team worked hard to keep things moving,” he says.
Council’s Acting Group Manager Infrastructure Services, Peter Watson, who officiated at the opening, was the Civil Defence Local Controller the night the bridge washed away.
He says attending the opening was a “full circle” moment for him.
“We knew it was an isolated community, and reconnecting them was a top priority,” he recalls.
“It was really meaningful to meet some of the people affected, and a good reminder about how important mahi like this is in keeping communities safe and connected.”
The bridge is now open to traffic, but temporary traffic restrictions will be put in place at a later date to allow the final surfacing to be applied.
