Simon Bridges19 SEPTEMBER, 2016
Next stage in Motu Bridge replacement complete

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has welcomed the announcement that the NZ Transport Agency has awarded the contract to build Gisborne’s new Motu Bridge.

The contract, awarded to Fulton Hogan East Coast of Gisborne, includes the construction of the new two-lane bridge as well as improving the roads leading up to the bridge.

Funding for the $6.5 million bridge was brought forward following the Prime Minister’s announcement in January of the second tranche of the Government’s Accelerated Regional Roading Programme. The programme was announced in 2014 to speed up the delivery of transport projects considered important to regions.

“This is the next stage in strengthening a key link between the East Coast and the Bay of Plenty,” Mr Bridges says.

"The Motu Bridge was built in the 1930s and is the last one-lane bridge on State Highway 2 between Gisborne and Opotiki. Improving the roads leading up to bridge as well as building a new two-lane bridge will improve safety. It will also support the local economy by making this route more efficient and reliable for both people and freight.”

The design for the bridge includes a new parking area which will be safer and more convenient for school children who catch their buses there. It will also be beneficial for cyclists who ride the network of recreational cycle trails, such as the Rere Falls Trail.

“Motu Bridge is a gateway to Gisborne so having a safe, resilient, two-lane bridge will also enhance tourism in the area,” Mr Bridges says.

Construction work is expected to start on the approaches to the bridge by the end of this year, followed by work on the bridge structure itself. The new bridge is expected to open in late 2017, with the whole project, including the removal of the old bridge, complete by early 2018.

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