Bailey bridge lifeline for flood-hit area

A bailey bridge over the Pohangina River, Manawatu. File picture / Dannevirke News

A temporary bridge has been found to link the isolated community of Mangamahu, northeast of Wanganui, with the rest of New Zealand.

Civil Defence Minister Rick Barker said he contacted Transit New Zealand after he visited the region yesterday and was told a Bailey bridge was available which could be erected at the Ngaturi Bridge site.

Mr Barker said he had secured National Land Transport Programme funding to meet the costs.

"I assured Mangamahu locals that the Government would work as fast as we could to restore access," the minister said.

"Within a day we have found a bridge and the money to pay for it.

"This is a great result," Mr Barker said.

Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws said he was delighted. "It's an outstanding result that directly led from the minister's visit to Wanganui.

"Rick Barker deserves every credit - he has been absolutely fantastic.

"I'm not sure if I offered to have his baby but I was pretty damned excited on behalf of the Mangamahu community.

Mr Laws said Transit engineers would be in contact with Wanganui District Council engineers to organise the placement of the bridge.

"The funding of the final bridge will remain a matter of negotiation between LTNZ and ourselves but the result will dispel many fears in the Mangamahu community and ensure that life can return pretty much to normal."

The bridge, which services the isolated Mangamahu Valley farming community, collapsed after flooding in the area last week. A track across private farm land is the only alternate route into the valley - but that is challenging, even in a 4WD vehicle.

Bailey bridges

* British War Office civil servant Donald Bailey developed the during World War II. It was first used in Italy in 1943.

* Since then the bridges have been used as a quick solution for short and long term replacement of bridges from 3m to 200m.

* The basic component of a Bailey bridge is a 3m truss panel.

* They are in kitset form and are relatively quick to build and dismantle.

The design is considered to be one of the great examples of military engineering.

- NZPA