Victoria Bridge to be tested

Resilience testing is being carried out on Cambridge’s Victoria Bridge to assess its condition, vulnerabilities and future life expectancy.

The work, which began last week, involves a series of tests on the 115-year-old high level bridge to measure its strength and assess if and when future work is needed.

Tests include ground water level monitoring, geotechnical investigations and drone survey work.

Testing, which is being carried out by Waipa¯ District Council consultants BECA, is expected to take a further three weeks to complete.

There will be no disruption to traffic during this time.

Council transportation manager Bryan Hudson said the work would give Council a comprehensive understanding of the state of the bridge.

The bridge was designed and constructed in 1905 and opened to the public in 1907, so it is a very old bridge that has been used for a long time,” said Bryan. “It’s important for us to look at its condition and assess its future life expectancy and make sure we are prepared for any future work.

“While we undergo this testing, residents can expect to see a drill rig at each end of the bridge which will be used to investigate the soil below. There will also be contractors abseiling off the sides of the bridge while they conduct visual surveys.”

Bryan said the bridge would also be assessed on its ability to withstand natural disasters such as an earthquake or severe storm.

“This is vital because it will provide an indication of whether work is required on the bridge in the immediate future, especially given that it will be repainted in coming years and scaffolding will be placed on it. Knowing the longer term maintenance need will also help us consider our options.” The results will be presented to Council midyear.

Major progress has been made on the construction of what will be Cambridge’s largest roundabout, with stage three of the project starting earlier this month.

Waipa¯ District Council contractors have begun preparing the foundations of the roundabout and installing drainage and services.

A temporary road, which will be used to divert traffic from the construction site, was completed earlier this month.

Council transportation manager Bryan Hudson said council would also be relocating roadside parking and moving a bus stop on St Peter’s School road to a safer location near to the Avantidrome.

“We are now shifting traffic and pedestrians away from the site so work on the main roundabout can begin.

“We expect progress in this stage will be rapid given that we are already seeing substantial changes to the site.”

Hudson said traffic management and a speed limit of 30km/h would be in place on the temporary road to ensure traffic would continue to flow smoothly.

“The aim is to reduce disruption to traffic as much as possible and keep it moving.

“There may be some minor time delays but they will be significantly less than what drivers would experience if we had had to put a stop/go system in place rather than a temporary road.

“Ultimately, this roundabout will significantly increase driver, cyclist and pedestrian safety at a location where there have been a significant number of crashes, so this work is crucial.”

Work on the roundabout is expected to take around seven months and finish at the end of August.

■ For more information on this project head to www.waipadc.govt.nz/hanlinroad.