Pekatahi bridge, located north of Tāneatua on State Highway 2, will close daily for maintenance from Monday 30 September to midday Friday 4 October.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises the closures will take place between 8.30am and 4.30pm each day (other than Friday), to allow contractors to repair and replace broken and loose decking planks throughout the length of the bridge and other general maintenance. 

The afternoon of Friday 4 October may be required as a contingency should work be delayed for any reason. 

This work has been programmed for the school holidays when traffic volume is lower and no school buses will be on the road. 

Sandra King, NZTA System Manager Bay of Plenty, says the routine maintenance of the Pekatahi bridge is a coordinated effort to get the best outcome possible for all involved. 

“Due to the narrow width of the bridge a full closure is required to ensure this work can be carried out safely,” says Ms King.  

A detour will be in place for all traffic; northbound using Tāneatua Road, Arawa Road, Hinemoa Street and onto SH30 towards Awakeri and southbound traffic will use the same route in reverse. This detour is expected to add up to 20 minutes to journey times and is suitable for all vehicles, including High Productivity Motor Vehicles (HPMV). 

“SH2 is an important route for many, and we make every effort to combine our maintenance activities on the Pekatahi bridge, to minimise the period of time the bridge has to be closed.  

“A lot of planning is involved and we’d like to acknowledge the assistance of Whakatāne District Council, who allow the detour route on their local roads," says Ms King.