More water to run under troubled bridges

 

The two single-lane bridges on State High-way 12 at Matakohe are again gaining prominence in the news.

Anecdotal evidence dating back to the 1950s shows that ten people have died in crashes on or approaching the bridges along with numerous injured parties.

While this is over a lengthy period of time, the bridges have long been a bone of contention with both locals, travellers and heavy traffic drivers from a maintenance point of view and from a safety aspect given they are single lane bridges.

Apart from this there have been a number of close calls by drivers failing to observe give way signs or road markings, and locals feel it is time the issues are addressed before there is another serious accident given the increasing volume of traffic.

Following a serious accident involving Matakohe woman Sue Reyland and a motorhome in 2012 a public meeting was held to address safety issues.

The Matakohe Bridge Concern Committee was then founded to campaign for the realignment of Anderson and Hardies bridges, and though
maintence was done and short term remedies undertaken the general feeling is that some permanent solutions should be addressed.

Mrs Reyland is leading the call for action and is strongly supported by Northland MP Mike Sabin. A petition with more than 1500 signatures was presented to Mr Sabin earlier this year.

“The analysis of the fatalities and serious injury crashes shows that more than three quarters of the crashes are as a result of the road engineering itself – something that hasn’t changed since the road and bridges were built over eighty years ago when carts and horses were using it,” says Mr Sabin.

Kaipara council commissioners have also made it clear the realignment was their top state highway priority, that delaying the project could also have economic connotations for the region if transport operators see a growing danger in the state of the bridges.

“At present the bridges do not figure on Northland's current 2012-15 Regional Land Transport Programme funding which has already been allocated,” says Mr Sabin.

However, following the presentation of a business case for realignment to the Northland Road Transport Committee (RTC) who are responsible for determining priorities for roading projects, Mr Sabin says the RTC and NZTA are now committed to a prioritisation process for this project for the next National Land Transport Programme which runs from 2015-2018.

NZTA's regional director, Ernst Zollner, considers both bridges to be in satisfactory structural condition.

Recent maintenance includes the installation of skid-resistant surfaces, replacing timber decking and guard rails, improved signage, and removal of vegetation to improve visibility but Mr Sabin is working towards getting the dangerous approaches realigned. And though he did not know where the job might sit on a list of Northland or national roading priorities, he considers there is positive progress being made.

Mr Sabin has called a public meeting at the Matakohe War Memo-rial Hall on Monday July 21, starting at 6.30pm to update the public on any progress.

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