Scheduled quarterly maintenance of Pekatahi Bridge is taking place later this month, with the bridge closed for three days so essential deck repairs can be made.

The bridge will close daily between 8.30am and 4.30pm, from Monday, April 14 to Wednesday, April 16 April. On Thursday, April17, there will be stop/go traffic management for half the day to allow for sealing.

Sandra King, system manager Bay of Plenty for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, said closing the bridge allowed contractors to safely repair and replace broken and loose decking planks and carry out other general maintenance such as checking bolts and surface repairs.

“SH2 is a key connection for the Bay of Plenty region and NZTA understands any closure is disruptive, but due to the narrow width of the bridge and nature of the work, a daytime full closure is required.

“We don’t take road closures lightly, but the maintenance is essential.

“We’ve carefully considered the timing of this work, and it has been programmed for the school holidays when traffic volumes are lower, and no school buses will be on the road,” she said.

A detour will be in place for all traffic; northbound using Tāneatua Road, Arawa Road, Hinemoa Street and onto SH30 towards Awakeri and southbound traffic will use the same route in reverse. This detour is expected to add up to 20 minutes to journey times and is suitable for all vehicles, including High Productivity Motor Vehicles.

“SH2 is an important route for many, and we make every effort to combine our maintenance activities on the Pekatahi Bridge, to minimise the period the bridge has to be closed.

“A lot of planning is involved, and we’d like to acknowledge the assistance of Whakatāne District Council for allowing the detour route on their local roads," said Ms King.