The following is a joint media release on behalf of the Ōpōtiki, Kawerau, Whakatāne and Gisborne District Councils.
The Mayors of Ōpōtiki, Kawerau, Whakatāne and Gisborne have urged the NZ Transport Agency and the Government to rethink the planned upgrading of the Peketahi Bridge and fast-track the aging one-way structure’s replacement.
Large volumes of freight are carried to and from the Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki and Gisborne Districts across the bridge, which is recognised as a key route security vulnerability for State Highway 2, the main road link between the Eastern Bay of Plenty and the East Coast. NZTA plans to close the bridge for three months in early 2017 to upgrade its deck – at a cost of $5 million – a project which will mean its replacement with a new, two-way bridge will be delayed until 2035.
The region’s civic leaders believe it makes good economic and transport planning sense to replace the bridge now, at an estimated cost of $20 million.
“The cumulative economic cost of delayed journeys for our freight industry is substantial, but that would pale into insignificance if our main east-west transport link across the Whakatāne River was damaged or swept away in a flood,” says Whakatāne Mayor Tony Bonne.
“A new bridge could be designed to withstand major flood events and provide a fit-for-purpose structure that will allow the free movement of the heavy truck and trailer units we need to service our region’s growing economy,” he says.
Ōpōtiki Mayor John Forbes says his District’s farming and horticultural output all has to cross the Peketahi Bridge to be delivered to processing facilities or export ports. “Iwi, our District and the Government are close to finalising a major aquaculture and port facilities investment which will see our economy and freight transport needs grow hugely,” he says. “It doesn’t make sense to channel all of that extra output over an ancient, wooden one-way bridge which, even with a new deck, will always be vulnerable to the major floods which are an inevitability as climate warming affects our weather patterns.”
Meanwhile, Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon says his District has been working hard with its western neighbours to ensure better and safer road access to the northern markets. “A new bridge would be a great outcome for the whole East Coast region and the Eastern Bay Mayors have my full support in their endeavours to have this short-sighted decision changed.”
Kawerau Mayor Malcolm Campbell says he and his colleagues have worked long and hard to stress the need for the bridge replacement through regional transport forums, seemingly to no avail. “Speaking plainly, upgrading a substandard structure is a bad decision. We want to see some real vision brought to this situation and planning start right now for a resilient and fit-for-purpose solution.”