A reminder that from next week (Monday 28 July), preparation begins for the replacement of the Waikare Gorge Bailey bridge on State Highway 2 south of Wairoa.

From next Monday, a stretch of SH2 through Waikare Gorge at Pūtōrino will be reduced to one lane and under stop/go traffic management as work gets underway to build the wider, stronger temporary bridge off to the side of the road.

That construction work will involve building a crane platform and putting the new steel bridge together, before it can be installed during the 24-hour road closure at the end of August.

Stop/go traffic management will be in place between the Bailey bridge and King’s Bridge – approximately 150 metres south of the Bailey bridge.

Please expect delays while the stop/go traffic management is in place.

The new bridge, known as an Acrow bridge, is similar to the current Bailey bridge but it will be 1 metre wider, (accommodating wider vehicles) and have more capacity for HPMV and most over-dimensional vehicles. It will have a chipseal surface and is expected to be quieter than the current Bailey bridge.

The Acrow bridge will remain in use until the Waikare Gorge realignment project is complete.

The new bridge will remain single lane, however it will better support the local freight industry and improve safety for everyone.

August closure

SH2, between Pūtōrino and the northern side of Waikare Gorge, will close for a 24-hour period from 10am Saturday 30 August to 10am Sunday 31 August while the Bailey bridge is removed and the new bridge is lifted into place.

Principal Project Manager Richard Bayley says the closure is planned during the weekend to minimise the impact on people travelling through the week.

“We know a full closure like this is very disruptive and we really value the support from the community in the area and from road users. We’re confident this new wider, stronger, quieter bridge will make travel through the area easier for more people.”

Next steps

Following the 24-hour full closure, there will be an additional 3 nights of closures, to focus on widening the north and south bound approaches to the new bridge. These will be Sunday 31 August, Monday 1 September and Tuesday 2 September, 9pm to 5am each night.

This work is weather dependent. The contingency dates for the full 24-hour closure is the following weekend (starting Saturday 6 September), with the night closures following this. If weather delays this contingency date, the next contingency is the following weekend (starting Saturday 13 September).

Note that there will be no access for emergency services during the full 24-hour closure. However, emergency services will be assisted through the night closures.

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24 July 2025

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