Damage to the Makaramu Bridge was identified as part of quarterly routine inspections.
Damage to the Makaramu Bridge was identified as part of quarterly routine inspections.
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council is introducing a 3.5-tonne weight restriction, effective immediately for the Makaramu Bridge - the bridge connecting to Te Paerahi Beach (Pōrangahau).
This will restrict many vehicles towing caravans along with most RV’s, from access to the campsites and beach.
Following an inspection thisweek, engineers found structural deterioration on the bridge beam at one of the bridge joints, which makes it unsafe for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes to use.
CHB District Council chief executive Doug Tate says the damage was identified as part of quarterly routine inspections that were put in place in 2021, after a different fault on the bridge was identified, which was repaired in December.
The last inspection was in October 2023 and no faults were identified at that time. Tate says the cause of this new damage is not yet known.
Structural deterioration on the bridge beam at one of the bridge joints on the Makaramu Bridge.
“We understand that this is inconvenient, particularly at this time of year,” says Tate.
“However, the safety of our community and those visiting our region is our number one priority. Heavy traffic could cause further damage so to ensure the structural integrity of the bridge we need to restrict access to light vehicles now until further notice.”
