Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
A concentrated week of four-hour daily closures of Greymouth’s Cobden Bridge in early December will allow crews to safely remove rock hazards, while avoiding weeks of intermittent or partial closures.
From Tuesday 2 December through to Friday 5 December, contractors for the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) are scheduled to carry out essential rock scaling on the cliff face at the intersection of State Highways 6 and 7 and the Cobden Bridge.
Weather-permitting, the bridge is due to be fully closed each day between 10am and 2pm. People walking and cycling will still be able to use the bridge, accessing via Mawhera Quay only.
“During these closures, all traffic will be detoured through Stillwater, which is expected to add approximately 27 minutes to a one-way trip,” says NZTA maintenance contract manager for the West Coast, Moira Whinham.
“We appreciate that this will be a real inconvenience for some people, but the detour offers a similar or slightly shorter travel time compared to waiting at the bridge.”
“A partial or intermittent closure approach makes the disruption more unpredictable, as well as extending the project timeframe and adding more cost to the project. Overall, we feel a short, sharp, predicable closure for a few days – rather than over several weeks – is better for everyone to get this essential work done.”
“Fully closing the bridge also means we can complete inspections and the Grey District Council can begin some preparatory work for the Cobden wastewater upgrade at the same time.”
The rock scaling work involves the removal of loose or unstable rocks from the cliff face to prevent rockfalls onto the road.
“An initial inspection of the cliffs at the southern end of the Cobden Bridge has been completed, and some smaller rocks have been removed,” Miss Whinham says.
“However, significantly larger blocks remain. Because of their size and the associated risks, more time and space are required to safely manage the work to remove them. The potential for rocks to bounce beyond the traffic island – something that has occurred during previous scaling – means the entire intersection must be closed to create a safe working zone and protect both workers and the public.”
“We thank people in advance for their patience and understanding as we get through this work.”
If the schedule for the work and closures changes, notice will be provided. Stay up to date at our Journey Planner site.
