Wet wood holds up repairs
Wet wood has been blamed for the length of time it is taking to repair a Waimate bridge.
Deep Creek Bridge on Timaru Rd, State Highway 82, about 1.2 kilometres from SH1, which connects to the Waimate township, has been under repair since the end of January, and work is scheduled to be completed at the end of this month.
NZ Transport Agency maintenance contract manager for South Canterbury John Keenan said wood to be used for the deck planks hasn’t passed the tests for dryness.
‘‘So there is a brief hiatus until the correctly dried-out wood arrives,’’ he said.
Keenan said the $150,000 project involved re-decking the bridge to ‘‘make the structure more rigid, which will extend the bridge life’’.
‘‘Planks of wood that run the length of the bridge are laid and bolted to the existing bridge deck.
‘‘Once all of the boards are down, it will be ramped at either end to level out the carriageway, and then re-surfaced with chip seal. While the boards are being placed, there is a speed restriction required to protect the bridge, as well as the road user.’’
NZTA had carried out minor maintenance to the deck timber tie-down components, abutment headwall (where the bridge joins the road/land) and resurfacing repairs on the bridge in recent years, Keenan said.
‘‘The new running planks when completed and resurfaced are expected to extend the bridge’s life, increase safety and provide a smooth ride which will avoid the need for on-going minor repairs.’’