Crews complete construction of Bailey bridge

NEARLY THERE: Two Downer workers were at at the Bailey bridge across the Waikare River yesterday, screwing down the deck, the last task in a job which has taken six men 61 hours to complete. Picture supplied

A Downer crew of six men took 61 hours to complete the 49m Bailey bridge across the Waikare River.

They started last Wednesday on the bridge proper, but work began early in April preparing the ground around the site.

Two piers had to be constructed to support the bridge.

Two of the team were on site yesterday to finish off the job, screwing down the deck, while the rest went on to Whanawhana, inland from Napier to make a start on a Bailey bridge there.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency controls New Zealand’s stocks of Bailey bridges which are stored at Downer depots in Hawke’s Bay and Christchurch. Workers have spent the better part of a month at the depot in Hawke’s Bay assembling all the components for bridges in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Located on SH2 between Wairoa and Napier, the temporary Bailey bridge will replace the bridge that was washed away during Cyclone Gabrielle.

Meanwhile, at Devil’s Elbow workers are busy securing dropouts, making shoulder and road surface repairs, repairing guardrails, clearing drains and silt and removing debris and waste.

A Waka Kotahi Facebook post says, “We’re still on track to have the entire route reopened by the end of May.”