Restored connectivity was celebrated at the official opening of the new Te Reinga Bridge today.

With its distinctive arch frame, the new bridge permanently relinks the divided Te Reinga community.

The Te Reinga Bridge was initially damaged during the March 2022 floods. Further damage occurred in February 2023 during Cyclone Gabrielle, which caused a pier to wash away, leading to the bridge’s closure. The old bridge was demolished in June 2023, and a temporary bridge (including a Bailey bridge) was constructed to restore access and opened in February 2024.

Now, more than four years after the initial damage, the new single-lane bridge has been officially opened. The bridge is one of only a handful of steel arch bridges in New Zealand, with its leading-edge design eliminating the need for piers in the riverbed and providing improved resilience. The new, improved bridge, designed to last 100 years, is built to modern standards that are significantly more advanced than those used for the original bridge.

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said the bridge opening was a celebration for the impacted communities and bridging the gap for future secure connectivity.

“For just over four years, the Te Reinga, Ruakituri and surrounding communities have suffered, and I have nothing but admiration for people’s resilience. The loss of the bridge literally split the Te Reinga community in half, and those affected have experienced four years of hope and heartbreak and now have a new permanent connectivity link in place.”

Mayor Little said during the journey to reconnection, there have been a series of temporary measures, including driving the ' long way around,’ which turned a one-way 20-minute trip into two hours. The loss of the bridge impacted whānau, farmers and service delivery, and I know people have suffered and borne the cost.”

Mayor Little said building the bridge has been a significant project for local contracting company QRS. “We are fortunate that this Council-owned company was able to take on such a large project, with a wonderful partnership arrangement with Brian Perry Civil and specialised sub-contractors.

“Thank you again to central government and NZTA for recognising our needs and fully funding this vital connection project to the tune of around $15.5 million. It was great to have local MP Katie Nimon at the bridge opening, and I acknowledge the support she has shown Wairoa.

The permanent bridge is 90.5m-long network arch spanning the entire riverbed, with a 13.5m-long single land span. The network arch is approximately 18m tall at its highest point and made of weathering steel.

The bridge has been designed to withstand flood and earthquake events in accordance with NZTA requirements and to meet the NZTA High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMV) standards, with some restrictions for weight, configuration and over-dimensional vehicles.

Motorists are reminded that a speed restriction is in place while structural components are being fine-tuned. The neighbouring temporary bridge is still available for use but will be dismantled in the future.

Caption: The new permanent Te Reinga Bridge was officially opened with a ribbon-cutting last Thursday. Holding the scissors was local kaumātua Ereatara Tutehuinga NiaNia (Eric), along with key supporters, Mayor Craig Little, local woman Chrissy Sainsbury, local MP Katie Nimon and local rangatahi.

2 April 2026

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