The new Te Reinga Bridge will be lifted into place this month marking a significant milestone in the bridge’s reconstruction.

The new permanent bridge has a price tag of $14 million, entirely government-subsidised, and is expected to be completed in February 2026.

Work on the permanent bridge began in May, with piles poured, ground improvement piles completed, and abutment work ongoing, in preparation for the bridge lift scheduled for Thursday 27 November.

The new permanent bridge is being built on site with a big thanks to residents and landowners who have allowed the contractors to use their land for the assembly of the bridge.

WDC-owned QRS is the lead contractor. QRS has subcontracted specialised bridge builders, with the assembly of the deck and arches underway.

Once completed, the structure will be lifted into place over the existing Bailey bridge using a 1100-tonne crane. The crane is being delivered on transporters and will be constructed on-site.

During this next part of the process the road around the bridge will be closed for 10 days. Please refer to the information below when planning your journey.

We will be working to restore road access as quickly and safely as possible. This may include temporary or partial access before the planned reopening date and updates will be provided as new information is confirmed. Thank you for your patience as contractors work to restore road access as quickly and safely as possible.

The new bridge is a one-lane, 90.5m-long network arch spanning the entire riverbed with a 13.5m-long single land span, eliminating the need for a pier in the riverbed. The network arch will be approximately 18m tall at its highest point and made of weathering steel. The land span and pier will be constructed of concrete. The new bridge is being built next to the current temporary bridge, in a similar position to the previous permanent bridge.

The bridge has been designed to withstand flood and earthquake events in accordance with NZTA Waka Kotahi’s requirements and built to modern design standards, which are significantly more advanced than those used for the original bridge. It is designed for current loading standards and open for High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMV), with some restrictions for over-dimensional vehicles.

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little is thrilled that the completion of the permanent bridge is drawing closer. The loss of the original bridge caused significant disruption for the communities in the Te Reinga, Ruakituri, Ohuka and Erepeti areas. We are grateful to have the cost of the new bridge 100% government subsidised and look forward to secure connectivity being restored for the people of this area.

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.  The temporary bridge is open to vehicles with a maximum weight of 44 tonnes, and a speed limit of 10 km/h is in place.

18 November 2025

Back to Archive