Road works 'pointless' if bridge is underwater
The issues with Matekerepu Bridge turning into a "choke point" during flooding was discussed at an Ōpōtiki District Council meeting this week.
Councillor Tom Brooks described the new Matekerepu roundabout as 'pointless' if traffic from Ōpōtiki couldn't get over the bridge less than 50 metres away.
He said when the new roundabout was announced, he queried at an Eastern Bay Road Safety Joint Committee meeting why the bridge wasn't being replaced at the same time. The committee includes a representative from NZTA.
'I was told that there was no budget for that, and it was never considered.' He raised the issue a second time at a meeting of the joint committee last Friday after the bridge had been under water the previous day, cutting off traffic between Ōpōtiki and Whakatāne.
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He pointed out that there was no detour available when the bridge was closed. 'The nice new roundabout that is being built is superfluous if we can't get over the bridge,' he said.
He described the bridge as a 'choke point' for traffic, not only from Ōpōtiki but from the entire East Coast, including Gisborne.
He said he was sharing some thoughts with the secretary of the joint committee who would draft a letter to the Bay of Plenty Regional Transport Committee and the Minister of Transport about the importance of the bridge.
He suggested other councillors put their concerns forward as well. He felt Gisborne District Council also needed to be made aware of the issue.
'Because that's one of the choke points for them if we're cut off with these storm events.
The new Matekerepu roundabout is under construction, less than 50 metres from a bridge that becomes a choke point in flood conditions. Photo supplied The Matekerepu Bridge on State Highway 2 between Ōpōtiki and Wainui Road. (Source: Supplied/Karen Richardson)
'It affects the resilience of our town and up the coast.' He felt both Gisborne and Ōpōtiki should put pressure on the Government.
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'If you're going to do something, let's do it once, and do it right. If that bridge was raised and had a bigger span, that water could go right under there.'
Councillor Maxie Kemara agreed the bridge needed to be updated. He attended a pōwhiri at Roimata Marae at Kutarere earlier this year when the local hapū welcomed the contractors constructing the roundabout.
"One of the NZTA staff got up and said it wasn't in the budget to update that bridge. They said there was a 20-year life expectancy left in that bridge.'
Mayor David Moore said it was a good issue to raise with the Bay of Plenty Road Transport Committee. He made East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick aware of the issue last week when she visited the area.
Local Democracy Reporting is local-body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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