Long-awaited O¯ paoa bridge project receives green light

A new double-lane bridge at the northern edge of Blenheim has secured funding.

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has confirmed that construction of the $21 million bridge over the O¯ paoa River will likely start towards the end of next year.

The bridge will replace the existing concrete arch O¯ paoa Bridge, nicknamed the Banana Bridge, built in 1917.

NZTA South Island regional relationships director Jim Harland said the funding confirmation would allow the project team to engage a contractor to build the bridge.

‘‘We have allocated $21 million to the construction phase of the project, which will include landscaping and road realignment,’’ Harland said.

The new bridge would make State Highway 1 more resilient to natural disasters and secure its place as the strategic freight route between Picton and Christchurch, Harland said.

Investigations leading up to the project identified the existing bridge as too narrow and unsuitable for current transport needs.

During engagement with the community over the bridge proposal, there was also significant support for a bypass which would allow heavy vehicles to detour around Blenheim. Harland said it was possible that a bypass would emerge as an option in future years, as NZTA continued to assess the resilience and safety of SH1. ‘‘But that does not change the need to have a bridge over the O¯ paoa River which is fit for purpose so that commuters can access the central township.’’

Construction was expected to start in about 18 months, he said.

Marlborough deputy mayor Terry Sloan said: ‘‘It’s not just our local communities that will benefit, it’s the whole national land transport network. Congestion around the bridge has the potential to affect the emergency services’ day-to-day work, and that had become a concern.’’

NZTA confirmed that the old bridge – the first concrete bowstring bridge built in New Zealand, and registered as category 1 by Heritage NZ – would be retained for pedestrians and cyclists.