Transport agency reveals Beaumont bridge plans
Work on a $20 million bridge at Beaumont is set to start next year, replacing the existing 134-year-old single-lane bridge.
The New Zealand Transport Agency has released its plans to realign State Highway 8 and build a new, 190m two-lane bridge at Beaumont.
Work is expected to begin in late 2020, and take up to two years.
The agency will host a community dropin session at Beaumont tomorrow so residents can provide feedback.
Agency Project Manager Simon Underwood said the local community had already provided feedback on the preferred alignment of the new bridge.
‘‘This alignment allows State Highway 8 to continue past the front of the Beaumont Hotel – something strongly favoured by the local community.’’
Work on the detailed designs began about nine months ago.
The new bridge will be downstream from the old one, which will remain to provide pedestrian and cycle access across the Clutha River to the Clutha Gold Cycle Trail.
The new bridge will be nearly 190 metres long,will have two traffic lanes and cater for pedestrians.
The agency said it will sit slightly higher above the river than the existing bridge and the Clutha Gold Trail will pass below the new highway, with a link across the river using the existing single-lane bridge.